Inuyasha: Goddess of Demons Act
by Ayde Vogue
Summary: Three months have passed since Kagome's return to the village. Hopes of what her and Inuyasha's relationship would entail have fallen flat, and with a new threat surfacing, it is up to the Inu group to save Japan and a newly resurrected Kikyo. With help from an unexpected source, new romance will arise as the group takes on the Goddess of Demons in this epic tail.(sess/kag;inu/kik)
1. Chapter 1: The hearts lingering pain

***This is my first upload :) I hope you all enjoy it***

First chapter is a little slow, but trust me when I say later chapters will be intense!

I will try to update at least once every two weeks, and hopefully will be able to update once a week, so keep a look out!

This is a Kagome/Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha/Kikyo pairing (fair warning to those who dislike these pairings)

I do not own anything of Inuyasha what-so-ever - Sadness :( -

Enjoy!

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Chapter one: The Hearts Lingering Pain

The village was calm in the early morning. The sweet scent of the rain that had passed through the night still lingered in the air, light and weightless with a fresh, crisp aroma that pulled the perfume of the earth up into the atmosphere. A light dew and mist coated the blades of grass that collected into a small meadow within the density of the heavy trees surrounding it. The sun still hid behind the horizon unseen, with the clear sky slowly aging from a dark purple into a light blue. The birds stirred into waking with their chirps and flapping feathers orchestrating morning sounds, prompting the animals in the trees to enjoy what could be the last of their fleeting summer days. A gentle breeze washed over the forest of Inuyasha, chilling the area into momentary silence, which aided to cool Kagome's exploding emotions.

It was not that she was longing for what was gone, not entirely anyways. Yes, Kagome missed her family; her caring, responsible little brother; her sweet, ever calming breath of fresh air that was her mother; and even her painfully eccentric grandpa. But that wasn't what brought her here today to the Bone-Eater's Well, her nails digging sharply into the wood till they ached as she fought to hold back her stinging tears. What brought her here was a deep pain; the kind of pain that grew its harsh roots into the meager muscle that was her heart. It constricted her chest, halted her blood and breath and made her gasp for air between its rhythmic turmoil. It was a pain that would not cease. It was the pain of regret. But why? Why did she feel this way? What was it she regretted? No answer would come through from the dark, empty well that loomed beneath her, tempting to swallow her whole as she had allowed it to do so many times before. Only now, instead of gracefully landing on the other side of her own time, she would be greeted with the cold hard floor that was cursed with the reality that she could never, ever go back. In a voice that echoed only in her thoughts, a dull whisper that carried the secrets that would never escape her trembling lips, she admitted once more to herself a phrase that held the burdens of her heart; _I just want to escape_.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice called from behind, startling Kagome into an upright surprise was unwelcomed. Too many times now Sango had walked in on Kagome crying, and each time Kagome saw the sadness in her friend's own eyes increasing for her. As if the pain she felt on her own wasn't enough, the knowledge that others ached on her behalf left her doubling over in guilt. But Sango had found her, and Kagome was determined to hide her true feelings from her dear friend. With determined immediacy, Kagome collected her pain within herself, swiftly removed evidence of tears, and placed a false mask of happiness onto her facial features; a mask she now wore with the professionalism of a skilled actress, due to her well abound practice.

"Morning Sango!" She said, with no indication of sadness in her voice and a smile that beamed like sunlight streaks. "What are you doing up so early?"

Sango currently wore her demon slayer attire, which after bearing children, fitted her more snuggly and accentuated her femininity. Her body's form, curved at bust and hips, with the tone-ness of a fit gazelle, was in every way desirable by all men and envied upon by all women; two reactions which the villagers did not hide very well.

"Today is my shift to get breakfast. I thought it would be a good idea to go a hunt with Hiraikotsu so I don't lose my edge. But what are you doing out here? It's not like you to be up so early."

Kagome took note of the large boar Sango currently had draped behind her, its hind legs tied off by a rope that Sango held onto over her shoulder. The size of the beast was impressive, its snout grazing the ground while its midsection was large enough to hold a full grown man. Sango had always been strong, there was no denying that, but the Sango Kagome had known three years ago would have struggled immensely to carry this particular boar. The Sango who stood before her now, however, carried it as though it were only a basket of feathers. She had grown stronger the three years Kagome was gone, not only in her physical strength, but in her demeanor as well. Kagome studied her friend, a single drop of sweat trickling down Sango's face, yet no sign of exhaustion was carried in her disposition. Always about her was an air of caring calmness and understanding, even in her moments of fury when it was evident that her temper rose solely for the sake of another. It was not only her who had grown either. Kagome had steadily noticed how much all of her friends had grown in all aspects of their life, much to her own discouragement. Where all of her friends grew in strength and manner, Kagome felt she had remain utterly idle and had not grown in any way at all. Reflectively, she chastised herself for being incapable of presenting herself to at least some degree comparable to that of Sango. She began to feel dishearten, and briefly, for only a short moment in the lapse of her judgment, her perfectly placed mask fell and she felt a frown come upon her face. Aware of her falter, she quickly resumed the conversation.

"No reason." She said in fake enthusiasm. "I just couldn't sleep." Though the words were normal and carried a tone of little care, she felt somber, the ache in her heart returning as she turned her gaze back towards the useless well. Sango strode over, placing the large boar on the ground, and placed herself next to Kagome facing the opposite direction, with her back towards the well. She rested against it, half sitting as she was, and thought of the brief look of sadness she had seen cross Kagome's face just a few moments ago. It did not take long for Sango to come to a conclusion, though the conclusion was wrong.

"I see. You miss your family, huh?"

"...Yeah." Kagome said after a pause, not fully comfortable with the lie she was telling. She did miss them, that was true enough, but their absence wasn't enough of a heartache to gnaw her out of her sleep; they were not the burden that came down on her in thrashing dreams until she became too exhausted to sleep and found staying awake more relaxing. This place, which once held the wonders of time travel, was simply a place she found solace; a faint memory of what it was like to leave when it became too much for her to withstand.

"I understand." Sango said, unaware of Kagome's despair. "I miss my family 's only natural to miss them. Missing them is okay."

Sango fell into silence, and Kagome realized that those must have been the words Sango had told herself all those times she felt close to breaking in thoughts of her family. Kagome cursed herself, a bitter taste coating her taste buds for the lie she had told. Sango truly missed her family who had died by the hands of Naraku, and Kagome had used her family as an excuse to not tell the truth.

"So how are you and Inuyasha doing?" Sango asked lightheartedly, but the question gave Kagome a twinge of discomfort. That was certainly one of the reasons she was here today. Another day, another fight. It seemed that after the first few weeks of her return, her and Inuyasha were incapable of going a full day without instigating the other into a fight. It had become exhausting, and Kagome bowed her head underneath the weight of that exhaustion with a grown.

"That bad huh? I'm guessing last night's fight didn't go so well then?"

"You heard that?!" Kagome shouted, eyes pleading towards her friend, hoping she had only guessed the truth.

"I'm fairly certain the whole village heard. Even Kaede was a little shocked by how many sit commands you gave."

Once more, Kagome bowed her head in shame, her cheeks a shade of blushing red from embarrassment. _Ugh. The whole village?_

"So," Sango continued, "what were you two fighting about this time? Did Inuyasha do something moronic again, because if he did-"

"No. He didn't really do anything actually…" Kagome lowered her face, bending at the waist to do so, and rested against her forearms atop the well. She was ashamed and sought to hide herself, even if her forearms only hid her troubled lips.

"Please Kagome, don't defend him." Sango calmly expressed. "Whatever he did, it really upset you. Just tell me the truth." Irritation crept up Kagome's spine, bringing her back into an upright position.

"I am telling the truth!" Kagome yelled, any form of composure caste aside. "He really didn't do anything!"

"Tell me what happened then."

"Er, w-what… what happened? Well…" Sango waited patiently, not believing for a moment that Inuyasha wasn't the root of the problem. Yet Kagome felt certain that he wasn't the issue; she was. "I… I had… a dream."

"Huh? A dream?" Sango said, her eyes blinking twice in an expressing of confusion.

Kagome simply nodded her response.

"Well, what was the dream about?"

"Kikyo…" Her name slipped from Kagome's mouth like a spell, exhaled effortlessly yet entrancing the speaker into a floating depression. For a moment, Kagome forgot that she wasn't alone. Halted in time, it was as though all that existed was herself and that name. That echoing, oxygen depraving name. She didn't want to say anything else, clinging to that airless moment. It was more comforting than living each moment with her lungs filling with the burning pain she had come to feel every second she was alive. Yet Sango continued to wait, patiently waiting for Kagome to continue. And like a heavyweight, that patience weighed on Kagome, pushing against her until she subdued to its will.

"It was back to that first time I saw her and Inuyasha together. Except it was different. It was the exact same place and time. I was even pinned to that tree. But Kikyo was different than how she was during that time. She was more like how she was near the end. Kinder, and no longer vengeful. She didn't seem to know I was there, and instead of trying to pull Inuyasha into hell, she was trying to stop him from following her. Honestly, i can't believe she ever tried to pull him to hell before! I mean-"

"Kagome, you're sidetracking."

"Oh, right." _So much for trying to change the subject._ Sango waited patiently once more, and once more Kagome obliged to its will. This was difficult for her to speak about, and she took a breath before continuing, hoping to ease the pain that was beginning to increase inside her.

"Everything was moving in slow motion… I wanted to look away, but i couldn't. No, i just wouldn't. I was so fixated on the details. The little things between them, you know? There eyes glowed with affection for each other, like they were the only two people in the world. And when he held her in his arms, they seemed to be perfectly molded for each other. Inuyasha wasn't timid or nervous about holding her so affectionately, showing her how he felt. When they kissed…" She stopped for a passing moment, needing to remind herself it was only a dream, and that the ache she was feeling in her chest was unnecessary. "It was like.. It was the only thing they knew how to do in all the world. Like it was their reason for living…"

Sango knew there was more, so she remained silent. She focused on her friend, noticing the hitch in the tone of her voice just before she stopped speaking, as if she were about to cry. She saw the small trembles Kagome tried to shake off, and her shaking hand reaching towards her chest to clutch at the pain she was feeling. She saw the tears swelling in her eyes. Sango saw her pain, and she ached for her friend in return. Would the wounds inflicted onto Kagome during those Kikyo years ever heal? Sango doubted.

"Then… Then he told her something… and it tore my heart to shreds!" Kagome let her tears fall down her face and onto the hand that struggled to grab at her heart. She struggled to breathe, the roots in her weak heart twisting and tightening till she could feel every throbbing heartbeat. She was certain this was the feeling of agonizing death. Only death's relief would never come for her, and she was condemned to her suffering.

"What did he tell her?"

"He… he told her… that he wished i was more like her." The sentence fell out with a gasp of pain, and Kagome doubled over, nearly collapsing from the pain, but held herself up by pushing against the well. Her tears fell without resistance, and she succumbed to the internal pain. She no longer cared that Sango was watching. It hurt too much to hold back the pain.

"What happened next Kagome?"

"I woke up." She said wiping away her tears with a sniffle. "But i went to Inuyasha's hut, looking for some sort of assurance i guess. He was asleep of course…"

"And?"

"It's stupid."

"Tell me anyway."

"That idiot Inuyasha. He's never talked in his sleep before. But i walk in and he just kept saying 'Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo' over and over again in his sleep, and i just snapped!" Kagome expanded her fingers at the side of her head to exaggerate the moment she had snapped. The memory of it all was so fresh, she could practically see it playing before her eyes, just as she could feel everything she had felt at that time all over again.

"I see."

"You think i overreacted?"

"Well, yes and no. Yes because they were only dreams, but no because i believe that he had it coming. That he deserved it. There have been plenty of times i've wanted to hurt the little idiot, and i'm speaking recently."

"Huh? You have?" It wasn't as though Inuyasha had been causing trouble or partaking in stupid antics. In fact, Inuyasha hadn't behaved this well since ever. Always willing to help out in the fields or take care of the village children, Inuyasha had been a shining example of civic service and a well behaved citizen. It was rather surprising, and a little strange actually.

By this point, the sun was beginning to rise, radiating warmth onto Sango's back. With each second, the coolness of the morning was rushing away to be replaced with heat, and time was ticking for Sango. She had to get back to her ever growing family. The monk Miroku had already started to come up with names for a fourth child, something she herself was very excited for. But before she could return to them, she needed to tell Kagome what had been plaguing her mind after only two weeks since Kagome had returned. She had held it heavily still for another week and two months, hoping throughout that time that perhaps something, anything, would change. That perhaps Inuyasha would finally start acting how they had all expected him to. But that hope had dwindled away into nothingness now, and Sango was tired of watching her friend go through what seemed to be a never ending pain. Sango was ready to 'get it off her chest', as Kagome would say.

"Kagome, you know I've always supported you and that i respect you not only as a comrade in battle but as a close friend as well. You are like a sister to me, and your happiness is very important to me. Which is why I must tell you, I think you should give up on Inuyasha. I think you should leave him."

"W-What did you say?!"

"You've sacrificed so much for him, Kagome. You've given up ever seeing your true home again, of ever seeing your friends, or even your family. And what has he done for you?-"

"Sango-"

"Please, let me finish. When you returned after 3 years of uncertainty that we would ever see you again, we were so happy. But we were also… expectant. We were excited for the day you and Inuyasha would marry, and at first it seemed to be going in that direction. You even called Lord Sesshomaru older brother a few times, but it never happened." Kagome sucked in a breath at the thought of marrying Inuyasha. Her and Inuyasha, married? At one point she had expected they would be too, eventually, but now it felt more likely that she would wake one morning with two heads rather than her and Inuyasha getting married. Where had their love gone? "Everyone was so certain it would happen soon, that we all built a hut for you two because we assumed that you would want to move in together as soon as possible. We never told you that was the purpose, but now Inuyasha stays there, and you continue to live at Kaede's. Not only that but it seems you are even worse off than before. Even the oldest, most bitter couple in the village show more affection to each other, and they swear to kill the other off everyday. It's like Inuyasha keeps you at arm's length, avoiding to even hold your hand, yet keeps you around like you're his back up."

 _Well you don't have to say it so bluntly. Words hurt you know?_ Kagome thought to herself. _And it's not like we're really that bad, are we?_ But she pondered. Then pondered some more. The things Sango were saying, she came to realize, were quite truthful. Inuyasha did avoid showing affection to Kagome, and their bickering had no end. They're relationship was rotten and always full of hurt. _But… we're in love…_ Thoughtful words with shallow meaning and shallow convincing echoed in her mind.

"I never see you kiss, or hug. Whenever you lay your head on his shoulder, he turns away making sure not to hold you. Sometimes, I swear I've seen him squirm, like he's looking for a way out."

Another hurtful sting. Kagome felt the heaviness of Sango's words, as though she were packing on the pain. Kagome was feeling worse and worse, but she knew Sango never said anything simply to hurt someone. If her words did hurt, it was because she was trying to bluntly tell a hurtful truth. Kagome, however, was resilient to thought that what Sango was saying was true, even though she found herself agreeing with almost everything she said..

"It's only getting worse everyday. I Know you two hold feelings for each other, but Inuyasha seems to only show his when we are in peril, and he is in danger of losing you. It's just like those wise words you told me. 'When something disappears, then you realize it's value'-"

"You don't know what you have until it's gone?"

"Yes, that one exactly. Anyway, that is what I have observed. Take my advice or not, I will support your decision no matter what, but I suggest you 'make trash of him'."

"Dump him?"

"Yes, Dump him." Sango stood from her seated position, and gathered the boar onto her back, preparing to leave without giving Kagome a chance to respond to what she just said. She had wasted enough time, and her little ones were most likely starting to wake, full of energy as always. She smiled at the thought of her return to her bustling home where her lovely children and overly affectionate husband resided. But before she could leave, she had one more thing to say.

"Kagome, if Kikyo was in your position, do you think Inuyasha would treat her in the same manner that he treats you now?"

She left without Kagome speaking, but the air resonated with the answer.

 _No._

Kagome slumped to the ground, knowing exactly how Inuyasha would have acted if Kikyo were here instead of herself. He would have showered her with affection that would have made the whole village blush. With every moment that he saw her, he would have whisked her into his arms. There would not be a single moment that passed without some form of love passing between them. They would be everything to each other.

"The moment she returned to the village, he would have marri-"

No! Kagome was not going to complete that thought. She couldn't believe this! Kikyo was gone and she was still competing with her! Did Inuyasha not think she was good enough!? Of course she wasn't. If Kagome took an honest look at herself, she couldn't help but feel inferior to the famous Kikyo. Kikyo was more graceful, confident, strong, powerful, wise,and extremely beautiful. More beautiful than her, even though they looked almost exactly the same. But Kikyo could wear the baggy priestess drab and still look stunning, while Kagome felt awkward and insecure. And her hair! Arg! There were so many times that she wished she had Kikyo's hair.

"Ugh! Get a grip girl! Why do you torture yourself like this!?" But as much as she tried, she couldn't pull herself out of her rut. Was it true? Was she so insignificant to Inuyasha?

It was the sound of wind from up above, out of place and going against itself creating the sound of rushing wind, that pulled Kagome from her slumped position. Sesshomaru was flying from above, heading towards the village with Jaken and Ah-Un following close behind. In his left arm was a purple and turquoise-blue kimono swaying gracefully from the push of the wind. Another gift for Rin. It was strange seeing him with his arm back. Three years and three months with it back though, he probably had forgotten all about how it was like to not have one, especially given his almost immortal status as a demon.

"Perfecting timing as always." Kagome said sarcastically. The villagers never took Sesshomaru's visits kindly, and he, likewise, was never eager to meet their opposition. Tension always rose between them, and a fight was always ready to break out. The only reason any of the villagers were still alive was because of Rin, and her kind request for Sesshomaru to not kill any of them. Of course, since she had never mentioned it, Sesshomaru was always willing to threaten the villagers with the fear of inflicting harm on them, since that technically wouldn't be killing them in the end anyway. It baffled Kagome how on earth the villagers and Sesshomaru had managed to withstand each other for the three years she was gone since peace seemed to be placed solely on her shoulders; they would only calm down whenever she was around!

It was at this time that Sesshomaru, fully aware of Kagome's idle position at the well, shot her an annoyed look. With a sigh, Kagome stood, knowing fully well that he was telling her to hurry up. It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that he would rush her to her post in such an arrogant manner. At first, it had aggravated her immensely, but as time passed on she became rather understanding. It took a tall order, and extremely tall order, to place herself in the position of the overly proud and haughty Sesshomaru for her to finally come to the conclusion that if she were greeted every time with annoying, rather pointless, resistance whenever she went to see someone close to her, she'd treat the buffer, whoever that me be, in the exact same manner if they were never there on time; she never was.

So she stood, exhaling a sigh, and walking, ever so slowly away from the well and towards the village. She had no desire to leave. If given the chance, she would have stayed there for the rest of the day, releasing the pent up waters of anguish that she held within herself, and enjoying the comfort of her own solitude. But such pleasures were out of reach in her new life. Her presence was required at the village for the sake of peace; inner peace was a luxury she was no longer welcomed to. Uncomfortably, she tugged at her clothing, reminded of how self conscious she felt in the priestess garb and how flawless Kikyo glided in them.

Sesshomaru watched from above, his flight smooth and effortless as he flew towards the village. It sparked his curiosity to see the priestess walk in such a way. Her head was low and she fiddled with the seams of her hakama as though something was wrong with them. The scent of her tears lingered in the air, and briefly, for a short, almost non existent moment, Sesshomaru worried for her and was compelled to try and ease her sorrow. But he brushed the sentiment off as soon as it arose in him. He wished he could say it was the first time he had felt that way, but it wasn't. He wished he could say he never felt that way at all towards her, but he found himself becoming more and more preoccupied with how she was doing physically and emotionally. It was something he never admitted to anyone, and struggled to admit to himself, but he desired to protect her. Naturally, he grew angry with himself anytime these "emotions" stirred within him and shook them off violently in his mind. He was Lord Sesshomaru after all. Caring for a human, much less a priestess, such as her was, for lack of a better saying, pathetic. He would allow very few to become something of importance to him. So few in fact that he, decidedly, swore he would only care for the well being of Rin and no one else.

So to push the emotions he had briefly felt away from his mind, he began to chastise the priestess.

 _Cease your useless daydreaming, priestess. I have no patience to deal with the annoying villagers, or the more annoying and brash, Inuyasha._

The thought alone was enough to enrage him. He was impatience as it was already, more so than usual since he was already partially angry at himself, so his anger towards what his visit would entail was doubled.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken's irksome voice called from behind, the sound of a frog struggling to escape the clutches of a hungry cat.

"What is it Jaken?"

"Not to be rude mi-lord, but why have we come from this direction? Isn't much faster to reach the village from the direction we usually take?

"Jaken, are you questioning my decision?"

"N-N-N-N-No! Not at all mi-lord! It's just that, I-I-I… I'll just shut up now." Jaken trailed off in an impish manner that suited him well. As he waited patiently, noticing that his lord continued to stay silent, Jaken became overwhelmed with the fear that he may have angered Lord Sesshomaru, and had, consequently, shortened his lifespan. With never ending tremors, Jaken slinked back to hide himself behind Ah-Un's he could not shake from his mind just how strange his Lord had been acting lately.

Lord Sesshomaru, on the other hand, had already forgotten about Jaken. Instead, that rather short conversation had brought his thoughts back to the priestess. It was because he had sensed her here, after all, that made him decide to take this route rather than his normal journey.

 _That priestess would have never returned to village without my interference._ Sesshomaru thought, but that wasn't true. He had come this way because he wanted to check on the priestess and see that she was alright given how far away she had traveled from the village. Another bothersome impulse brought upon by emotions Sesshomaru would deny should anyone ever ask him.

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That's all for today!

Please let me know what you thought about it!

I hope yall enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Look out for chapter two which will be coming out soon!


	2. Chapter 2: A Strange Friendship

Hi everyone! I'm so happy with the reviews I've received! It looks like everyone enjoyed the first chapter! Yay!

I think i'm a little late on this installment, but it was finals week so please don't be to angry .

Since last chapter focused on establishing Kagome's and Inuyasha's failing relationship, I wanted to make this one focus on Kagome's and Sesshomaru's developing one. I hope this one is alright and isn't too dry. I initially had a lot more to it, and ended up cutting out two scenes and quite a bit of dialogue between Kagome and Sesshomaru because the chapter was getting too long and it dragged on- i don't want y'all getting bored on me!- Plus, we have an awesome enemy in waiting who hasn't made her debut yet! The horror!

Anyway, enjoy! Reviews and follows are appreciated, and if anyone has any tips or recommendations to better my writing I would love to hear them!

Without further delay, here is chapter 2!

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Chapter 2: A Strange Friendship

Sesshomaru arrived at the village before Kagome, and already the villagers were out with pitchforks and other forms of pitiful gardening tools as weapons. They shouted obscenities at him, jabbing their weapons towards his direction. How pathetic they appeared to Lord Sesshomaru, and the beast in him itched to slay them all down with one blow. However, even though he was a demon of great power, he was also a demon of great control. He would not kill them, just as he had promised Rin. Threatening them, on the other hand, suited him just fine.

"Pathetic fools." His voice, laced with malice, hushed the villagers into silence. "Are you so eager to end your lives that you would dare to challenge I, Sesshomaru?"

The villagers remained silent, their offensive motions stilled. Fear manifested beyond their eyes, and their terror gave Sesshomaru brief pleasure. It took a few minutes, but idiocy has a way of returning quickly to its owner. A villager, hidden away behind the crowd, shouted for unity and strength, and the uproar Lord Sesshomaru was greeted with returned with new vigor. It was enough to bring an irritated growl to his lips.

Just then, Kagome walked into the village, and as if on que, the villagers lowered their laughable weapons and walked away.

 _Like trained sheep._ Sesshomaru mused. He shifted his gaze towards the priestess, whose gait was still downhearted and slumped. Her stare was fixed towards the ground, as though she were inspecting it for every spec of dirt it had. Immediately, Lord Sesshomaru was displeased. The priestess's demeanor did not sit well with him, and once more he was compelled to help her; to make her feel better. Again, he brushed off the feeling, labeling it as nothing more than annoyance and irritation at her disrespect and the heightened chances of this visit being bothersome should Rin discover the priestess's downhearted mood. Rin had grown very attached to the priestess after all.

"Mornin' Sesshomaru." Kagome mumbled with little enthusiasm. She continued to look towards the ground, feeling lower than the dirt it was made of. She had spoken out of habit, used to greeting Sesshomaru anytime he came to the village, but her mind was focused on Inuyasha and the heartache she felt. It was with great effort that she held her tears behind her eyes.

"Priestess." Sesshomaru responded dryly, scrutinizing her current state.

It was a small skit the two played out anytime they greeted each other, and it brought a small hint of light into Kagome's dim eyes. She dipped her head up, moving her focus from the ground to Sesshomaru.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Kagome?"

"Maybe when you learn to call me by my title, priestess, I will consider calling you by what you desire." He said smugly.

It was crude, and to most people it would have appeared offensive and rude. To Kagome though, whose intuition told her otherwise, she saw this crude remark as a playful jab. She could not deny that this could simply be wishful thinking, an idea solely from her imagination generated after spending so much time with a great and terrifying demon lord, Sesshomaru, and never being harmed or threatened by him once. In all the time they had spent together, despite knowing fully well that he was a dangerous demon to be around, Kagome had never once felt afraid of him. So maybe she was drawing conclusions about him that weren't real since, after all, there was never any inclination that her assumptions of him were real either. Yet there was her intuition, telling her that his comment was, to an extent, almost playful and that he was in fact teasing her for still not calling him by his Lord title. She was almost certain of it as she looked into his golden amber eyes, the only feature on his impassive face that ever seemed to change, and saw a challenging look, awaiting her response.

Her mood became lighter, and a smirk graced her face. If he was going to tease her, than she would gladly tease him back.

"Oh?" She said coyly. "And what? Pet your enormous ego while i'm at it?"

He didn't miss a beat, and with a slight tilt of his head and an eyebrow raised he responded "Perhaps."

She couldn't stop the growing smile on her face or the laughter that followed after. In truth, she held onto this moment with all her might; it was the first time today that she genuinely smiled and laughed, and her heart was desperate for this relief. Villagers turned to the sound of her merriment, embracing it, for they so scarcely heard it now, and they were surprised to see that it was the intimidating and deadly demon standing beside her that had made her laugh. He stood immobile, like a statue, with his gaze fixed towards the western land. Many of the villagers believed that he was ignoring the priestess. Yet they could not know that the sound of her laughter, which filled his ears, intoxicated Sesshomaru, and he closed his eyes to sink deeper into the sound.

It was a small jest, surely not funny enough to receive the amount of laughter Kagome gave it, but it was enough to make her breathless. Once her spasms of laughter calmed, she collected herself with a deep breath while a beaming smile remained on her face. It was at this moment that she noticed the wide gaping mouth of Jaken facing right at her.

"Y-y-y-you d-d-d-dare to l-l-laugh at m-m-m-mi-lord! How dare you, you impudent-"

"Jaken." His voice sent a chilling shiver up the imps spine.

"Y-y-yes mi-lord?"

"Leave the priestess be, and go find Rin. Take Ah-Un with you. She will be pleased to see him."

"Yes, but-"

"Now, Jaken!"

"Ep! Yes, of course! Right away mi-lord! Come Ah-Un, let's hurry!" Jaken yelled frantically as he hurried to find Rin with Ah-Un, who had Rin's new gift on their side pouch, in tow. He focused on completing the task at hand, but naturally was partially distracted by Lord Sesshomaru's action. He could not understand how his lord would allow that girl to laugh at him! How disrespectful! And then how his lord seemed to stand for her against him, his loyal retainer! Lord Sesshomaru would not show kindness for that wench of a priestess, especially since he was already showing kindness to Rin, and that was enough! It was utterly impossible.

Kagome laughed silently, watching Jaken scurry away like a frightened animal. When he and Ah-Un where no longer in sight, realizing that her and Sesshomaru were on their own, she decided to attempt to dabble at small talk. An effort, she was already aware, that would most likely be in vain.

"So, Sesshomaru, how has your morning been so far?"

Immediately, he looked away from her and did not answer. Any hint of emotions she was glimpsing at in his eyes were gone, and he quickly became impassive.

 _There he goes again. Shutting me out as always. He does that anytime I ask how he's doing._ She should have been used to it by now, and in all honesty, there was no reason for her to feel the small amount of pain that she did feel whenever he acted this way. It wasn't as though Sesshomaru was the kind to engage in small talk, and everyone considered it a miracle that she was able to maintain actual conversations with him on a frequent basis. And though that was true, she could hardly say that they had some form of a friendship. In many ways, Kagome still saw Sesshomaru as a stranger, and was certain that the feeling was mutual. Yet it was because of that fact that Kagome felt so comfortable around Sesshomaru in the first place. She never felt restricted around him as she did with her friends who were always surveying her frailness. It was something that bothered her greatly since she didn't want their happiness to depend on her own. But with Sesshomaru, she felt so free to laugh, or to cry, or to become angry. She could display her emotions to the highest level and the most he ever did was give her a dirty look. It didn't matter to her if he saw her at her best or worse because, again, in many ways she still felt he was a stranger. Yet there was still pain because, stranger or not, she had opened up to him at countless times in countless ways, and he had never opened up to her once. It was a pain she knew instinctively, because she had felt it so often during the Kikyo years; she felt rejected.

 _It doesn't matter._ She thought, chastising herself for feeling rejected because Sesshomaru was acting completely like himself and not responding. It made no sense for her to feel this way.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" A high pitched noise from a joyful child interrupted the short silence. Within seconds of shouting out her presence, Rin latched herself onto Lord Sesshomaru's leg, a large smile beaming from her childish face. Rin, though still a small child, was slightly taller now and had been growing quite a bit ever since she entered into a growth spurt. That was one of the reasons why Sesshomaru now resorted to bringing her new kimonos; she had been growing out of them so quickly. As expected, Jaken and Ah-Un were nowhere in sight,still off looking for Rin when she had found Lord Sesshomaru all on her own. "It is so good to see you again, my lord!"

"Rin. I trust you've been behaving well?"

"Oh yes my lord! Rin has been on her best behavior!"

At this, Lord Sesshomaru paused. It was rather odd to hear Rin speak in such a manner, and he was not oblivious to the priestess' humble giggles.

"You find this amusing, priestess?"

"Only because I know exactly who she learned to speak in third-person from. It's someone who she admires greatly." She giggled some more.

"Are you implying that she learned it from me?"

She smiled a devilish smile, and steadied herself with a small cough, recalling what she had heard him say just before she entered the village. Then, gracefully, she placed a hand upon her chest and met his curious gaze with a teasing glimmer in her own before enacting her best Sesshomaru impression.

"Are you so eager to end your lives that you would dare to challenge I, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru was taken aback, and his eyes slightly widened at the priestess gimmick, while Rin became animated and jumped up and down while clapping her hands.

"Wow Lady Kagome! You're really good at pretending to be Sesshomaru!"

"Why thank you, Rin." Kagome said with a curtsy towards her audience, then continued to laugh with Rin at her impressionism. Both girls laughed merrily, and Sesshomaru placed two fingers onto his forehead. If others thought that he was feeling annoyed, he was fine with that. He just didn't want them to see how much he was struggling to not crack a smile.

In the distance, not too far away and perched on the branch of a tree, another set of amber eyes watched the ebony haired woman he had claimed to love, all the while recalling the love he wished he still had. _Kikyo._ Her name resonated in Inuyasha's mind like a sweet kiss that left a burning agony in its absence; bittersweet, and too sweet to resist. He had dreamt of her the night before; A sweet dream he should have never dreamed, one filled with a life that would not, and could not exist. No, given the circumstances he found himself in, he should not have wanted it to exist. Yet he yearned for it, in a flagrant and distressing manner, all the more. Would he be willing, if given the choice, to relinquish his current life with Kagome for a life with Kikyo who, in his dream, had been his wife with a pup on the way? His mind ached at the imaginary prospect. The answer was yes; he would, in a heartbeats moment. It had felt so real and so wonderful, and that god awful word, sit, was never heard by his keen ears again! But heavenly dreams only last while the dreamer is asleep, and he had been violently woken up by the repeated "sits" Kagome had called out. The dream was gone now, with only its memory as a memento of its existence, and Inuyasha wanted it back.

He clutched Tessaiga closer to him. That may have been what he wanted, but what he needed was to take a breath and step back. It was just a fabulously divine dream. Nothing about it was part of reality. He was with Kagome now. Though that wasn't saying much nowadays. Even now, when he looked at her, he became bitter. He didn't want her, and there was nothing to change that. He had hoped and believed that he could be happy with her. It was true that he still cared for her, and still, in some ways, loved her, but happiness continued to elude him. And that great amount of love he had for her when they had defeated Naraku was dwindling. It was the feeling of obligation that rendered him incapable of gaining the courage to leave her; she had left her home for him after all. It was also true that he only truly felt compelled to leave her when he thought about Kikyo, something which had been occurring more frequently. He took a breath. No, it was ridiculous to think about leaving Kagome. Still, since the torment inside him would not ebb, he looked towards Kagome, and surrendered to the visions of Kikyo his mind conjured.

Kagome's laughter halted before Rin's had, not because her mirth had ended but because she felt an interrupting gaze upon her. She could not explain how she knew someone was gazing upon her, or how she knew it was Inuyasha; perhaps it was an unexpected product from all of her self imposed priestess training that had barred so little fruit; perhaps it was a woman's intuition. Either way, when she looked towards him, the sunlight hitting his face and white mane making him golden in light flames, she was met with a transparent gaze that appeared to go on endlessly. It was a look she had seen only once before, when she had caught Inuyasha with Kikyo and he had planned to break up with her. She had run off before he could, only to return with the proposition that she would stay at his side, should he want her, regardless of if he would continue to run off with Kikyo.

With such a bitter memory, it made sense that she became paralyzed with fear from that look alone. The vibrations from her rapidly beating heart was felt to the brim of her throat down to the pit of her shaking stomach. Her breath was non existent amongst the lungs that had forgotten their functions. She felt the workings of her mind halt in terror as the cracks on their already fragile relationship became deeper and wider.

"Lady Kagome?" she felt young Rin's hand pulling against her hakama, and Rin's gentle voiced pulled her away from her internal torment.

"Oh." Kagome said, still reeling from her comeback to reality. "Yes Rin?"

" Rin asked if we would be having class today? That way she can show Lord Sesshomaru all that she has learned."

 _Well we definitely have to work on NOT speaking in third person. But.._ Kagome didn't want to admit it, but her back felt ablaze where she knew Inuyasha's gaze was placed. She couldn't teach; not today, not right now. Her turmoil was too much of a distraction.

"I'm sorry Rin. Not today, okay? Maybe some other time."

"Is something wrong, Lady Kagome?"

"Oh… i'm just not feeling well is all."

"Are you sick?"

"No, that's not quite it." Kagome said with a small smile. Gently, she placed a hand on Rin's head before guiding it to her cheek. She was such a sweet girl whose concern was never hidden from her face. "Don't worry about me Rin-" Kagome had started, but was interrupted by Sesshomaru.

"Cowardice does not become you, priestess." Sesshomaru said blatantly.

"Wha- what do you mean? How am i being a coward?" She didn't understand. Where had Sesshomaru come up with the idea that she was acting cowardly?

"You are avoiding your fight with the half-breed, Inuyasha, are you not?"

A gasp of shock escaped Kagome. "H-How did you know that Inuyasha and I are fighting?"

 _Because of the way you shuddered with fright when you looked towards him. Because you only ever leave the village when you are fighting with him. Because he is the only reason why you ever weep._ All these answers ran through Sesshomaru's mind, but he ignored them all, and chose an empty response.

"You are predictable." He said with lackluster.

She pouted, giving Sesshomaru an annoyed look. He only raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Well, priestess?"

"Well what?"

"Will you not confront the half-breed?"

"Oh." She turned to Inuyasha instinctually, and regretted it immediately. When their eyes met, his own still transparent with thoughts of Kikyo, she recoiled, and turned away. _I can't_ she thought to herself, but then she remembered Sesshomaru's words. _Cowardice does not become you, priestess._ He was right, she was acting like a coward. When had she become so weak? Out of everything she had ever done, travelling back in time to a land of demons, defeating Naraku, giving up her home… school! She had taken it all on so bravely, with hardly any fear. But now she trembled at just the thought of confronting Inuyasha. "What if i'm afraid?" She said meekly.

"Courage without fear has little standing."

He was right. If there was anytime to be brave it would be now. But she quaked, and again her heart felt tight and her breath was gone. Tears welled in her eyes, pooling over and trickling down her cheeks. In desperation, she whimpered "I can't."

She turned away. Her hair, caught in the wind, swayed back and forth as she walked away from the village; away from Sesshomaru; away from Inuyasha.

He wanted to follow her; to be there and comfort her, though he didn't know how. He wanted to hurt his foolish little half-breed brother for hurting the priestess. He wanted to do something. But he stayed still as he was, and just watched as the priestess walked away, the pang and urgency in him increasing with every step.

Rin tugged at his hakama, and in a pleading voice called out to him.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" He looked down at her, remaining silent. "Won't you go after Lady Kagome? Please?"

Her eyes were wide and deep with sadness, while her lower lip jutted out slightly in a frown. It was a look that could bring down any great demon, and he was powerless to resist. It was as he predicted; the visit had become complicated now that Rin knew the priestess was upset, but now he had an excuse to go and do what he truly wanted.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" An irksome voice called from behind. "I cannot find Rin anywhere! It's as though she vanished- Oh. There you are Rin."

"Master Jaken!" She shouted and squeezed with imp with all her might, causing him to gasp in pain."

"Rin you crazy girl! Not so tight! Release me at once!"

"Jaken."

"Eh- Yes mi-lord?"

"Watch over Rin. I will be back shortly."

"Yes of course mi-lord!" Jaken said with a bow, then quickly jumped in a scurry after Lord Sesshomaru."Wait my lord! Where are you going?! Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru simply ignored him, leaving him with Rin and Ah-Un. Rin watched as he left, joy illuminating her as she understood just where he was going. _Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru._ She thought with a grateful bow towards him, though he did not see her.

"Come master Jaken! Let's go find Shippo and Lady Kaede! Then you can play games with us!"

"I will not play games with you, you silly girl! I am a demon- Ah Rin! Let go of me!"

She skipped away with Jaken's arm in her hand while Ah-Un followed. She was certain now, without a doubt, that Lady Kagome would feel all better, now that Lord Sesshomaru was going to help her.

Her scent was easy to pinpoint; a sweet mixture of cherry blossoms and aromatic waterfalls. He knew her scent well and followed it; when had took upon himself to know her scent to distinctly? The path winded, remaining close to the curves of the forest while never crossing in. When he found her, he commended her for the location she had chosen; it was far enough to have privacy, yet not so far to lose sight of the village. It was a spot he would have chosen if he had taken it upon himself to protect this small, insignificant place. She sat with her back against a rock, holding onto her legs as she cried into her knees. She shook and shivered, and with his keen ears, he could hear her whimpers from the distance he held. It would be rude, he deemed, to interrupt her now; this was time she needed alone. So he waited patiently until her shudders became less violent, and her sounds of crying became hushed and subtle. It was only then that he walked up and made his presence known.

"Priestess."

Startled, Kagome lifted and turned her face to see Sesshomaru. Though she just noticed him, she knew he had seen her crying. Certain of how he would react, she braced herself to see his glare of annoyance, a vision of emotional pain appearing on her features. But instead, she saw his cold eyes become kind, and he walked closer to stand beside her. He was silent as she watched him, studied him, all the while trying to understand what he was doing. Then it dawned on her; he had come for her, to make her feel better. Could it be true? She wondered.

"Sesshomaru?"

He looked towards her and was greeted with a familiar sight; Wide eyes deep with sadness, shimmering with light from tears, and a small frown on her pink lips that shattered hearts. _So you are the one who taught Rin such a devastating and powerful look. I am fortunate she is not as proficient at it as your are. I would not be able to stand it otherwise._

His eyes were filled with such kindness. Kagome had never seen such a gentle expression on Sesshomaru's face, and whatever meek barrier she had placed around her heart came tumbling down. Without pause, she told everything to Sesshomaru; everything that had occurred in her dream, what had happened when she had gone to Inuyasha, and even her insecurities. The great demon Lord, surprisingly, listened without interruption or scolding looks. He had no reason to, since he wanted to know all that had been burdening her. When all was said and done with, Kagome had run out of tears to weep and Sesshomaru, after Kagome's beckoning, was sitting beside her.

"You must think i'm a fool." Kagome spoke sadly. Even she had viewed herself as a fool. Yet Sesshomaru did not.

 _A fool. What an idiotic conclusion she has come to._ The little priestess thought herself a fool when it was that notion that was truly foolish. With a bit of irritation growing inside him at the priestess's false insecurities, Sesshomaru decided he would rectify this wrong and tell her what he truly thought of her; he would open up to her. With a straightforward attitude, he spoke.

"Ridiculous. Your assumption of my thoughts and your insecurities are false, priestess."

"What are you saying?"

"I do not find you so petty as to consider you a fool. As for your insecurities, they clearly lack any form of truth. You claim to lack grace, yet you ride a contraption few can balance on. You claim to lack confidence, yet you have stood against me on multiple occasions. You claim to be weak and powerless, yet you are the reason we were capable of defeating Naraku. Your wisdom is greater than any other mortal I have crossed in my existence. And as for your beauty, you rival that of any demoness."

It wasn't flattery. It was fact. These weren't things he was just saying to make her feel better; Sesshomaru never wasted his time on such trivial things. He said these things because he truly believed them, because this was how he truly saw her; he respected her. Kagome understood this, and it made his words that much more impactful. She could not deny that for a moment that lasted longer than it should have, Kagome's heart raced rapidly inside her. _Sesshomaru…_

Unable to restrain herself, Kagome did the unimaginable. She hugged him, the mighty and deadly demon lord, Sesshomaru. It was all she could think of to display her gratitude. She felt him stiffen, and straightaway knew that he was giving her the greatest look of scowl in all of demon history. It would not surprise her if his eyes were rimmed red with irritation, but at the same time, she did not care. There was no doubt in her that he would not harm her, no matter how angry he became. Perhaps it was the exhaustion from all the tears she had shed, or the lack of sleep from the night before, but suddenly her eyelids became heavy. Within seconds they were drooping until they fully closed and she fell into rest.

Sesshomaru watched the sleeping priestess, who had, in her descent into unconsciousness, resulted to resting on his lap. A growl was trapped behind his barred teeth, and his eyebrow urged a twitch. _Audacious priestess! She does not know her place!_ Yet as she laid there, lightly breathing during her calm rest, Sesshomaru's irritation subsided. When a strand of her hair fell across her face, he would carefully brush it away as to not wake her. He was tempted to brush through her hair, much like his father had done to him when he was but a small child, but he resisted. He would allow this insolence this time. There was not much he could do now anyway, short from waking her.

~ • • ~

A distance away, at a small hut with a beautiful pond near by, Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un, Shippo, and Lady Kaede leisurely spent their time away. Rin played with Ah-Un at the higher ground by the pond, running around them while they attempted to nip at her hair or clothing. Jaken, naturally, slept against a nearby tree. Lady Kaede sat on a rock right beside the hut door and close to the lower end of the pond, plucking off leaves from healing herbs and tossing them into a wicker basket, while Shippo sat right at the rim of the pond, his crayons and papers scattered all around him while he drew colorful pictures.

"I have not seen Lord Sesshomaru nor Kagome for some time now. Rin, are ye certain of what ye speak?"

"Oh, yes!" Rin managed to say through labored breath, exhausted from her constant running. "Lord Sesshomaru went to go make Lady Kagome feel better!"

"Is that right? It is strange to think of those two spending so much time together."

"It's even stranger to think of Lord Sesshomaru trying to make someone feel better!" Shippo said as he kicked his feet back and forth in the pond, meticulously drawing on his sketch pad at the same time. "He's probably just standing there not knowing what to do or what to say."

"Lord Sesshomaru's presence alone is enough to make anyone feel better!"

"For you maybe! But he scares me!" Shippo trembled, and his tail shook rapidly.

"I must agree with Shippo. Lord Sesshomaru is not a demon I would like to spend time with. Which leads me back to my original questions. Where could those two be? Could Kagome be in so much distress that so much time is needed?"

Suddenly, an echo of an argument in the village reached the group. At first, it was difficult to hear exactly what words were being said, or who it was that was fighting. Then a clear distinct shout was heard throughout the span of the village. "You're an idiot Inuyasha! A selfish fool!"

"Hey, did ya'll hear that?"

"Aye Shippo, we heard it."

"Do you think maybe it was Kagome?"

"It certainly does sound like her. Huh? Rin, child, where are you going?"

With determined steps, Rin walked up to Ah-Un and jumped onto their back. She knew that the person they had heard was not Lady Kagome, but Sango. There had already been so much fighting lately that Rin was determined to stop anymore if she possibly could. It was bad enough that Lady Kagome and Inuyasha were always fighting; she didn't want to see anyone else fighting, especially with Inuyasha who had a knack for constantly getting into a loud, overbearing fight. So she rode on the demons back, motioning them towards the sound of the commotion.

"Rin! Wait up! I'll come with you! Come on Kaede!" Shippo called out, gathering all his art supplies as quickly as he could. Kaede, slower to move due to age, motioned him along and slowly gathered her work together before tossing a rock towards Jaken's head, startling him into waking.

~ • • ~

Kagome's eyes fluttered open slowly. She had savored her well needed sleep, and rued her awakening. Unwilling to wake just yet, she snuggled against the fine fabric her head was resting on, barely recognizing that something was wrong; that her 'pillow' was not quite right. Gradually, her memories of what had happened before she had fallen asleep returned, ending with her hugging Sesshomaru, and quickly falling asleep. Her eyes shot open, her memories startling her awake, and then she saw that what she feared was true. She had fallen asleep on Sesshomaru's lap! She looked up to see impatient irritation displayed on his face, his golden eyes lit with rage, and bitter words escaped his lips.

"How long do you plan on sleeping on my person, priestess?"

"Ek!" She shouted, removing herself from him as quickly as she could. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

"Hn." He stood, and began to walk away.

"Hey! Wait a minute, where are you going?! You're not really that mad that I fell asleep on your lap, are you? I said I was sorry!"

A small smirk, hardly noticeable, appeared on his face with a sigh, and he stopped in his tracks. How many times would this woman make wrong assumptions about his thoughts? He did not mind that she rested on him. In fact, in a completely denied way, he had enjoyed watching her slumber. He placed a clawed hand over his face, banishing out the thoughts he did not want, thoughts that were becoming ridiculously common. It was a fact that bothered him greatly. So he moved on quickly to the real reason he had started to leave.

"The half-breed and the slayer have upset Rin."

"Huh? What have they done?"

"Do you not hear their shouting, priestess?"

Kagome paused, waited silently, and then she heard them almost too loudly. Their fight was echoing across the whole area, and though she couldn't make out any words, she could tell that the fight was escalating to high levels. Her brows furrowed, and she stood with new stubbornness in her demeanor. It was an easy bet to say that they were most likely fighting about her, and more specifically how she was feeling in this screwed up relationship she was in with Inuyasha.

"Alright then! Let's go!" And she began to walk in long, determined strides. Sesshomaru waited for her to catch up, and walked beside her side by side. It made him glad, though he wouldn't show it, that the priestess was back to her plucky self. There was no doubt in him that she was now ready to deal with the half-breed.

* * *

Well, she may not have been courageous enough to duke it out with Inuyasha, but it sure takes some unbounded courage to sleep on Lord Sesshomaru's lap! This girl, I swear.

Stay tune for the next chapter when ***SPOILER ALERT*** a certain duo impulsively elope and the Goddess of Demons makes her fiendish debut, with a certain character re-emerging on the scene! Oh the excitement! ***Spoiler alert ended***

I haven't quite figured out what the title for the next chapter will be, so if anyone has ideas let me hear them!

Also, I've decided to create a little gift for my readers! And no, its not an actual put-in-a-box-and-wrap-with-a-bow gift, but i'm sure ya'll will like it anyways :P Want to see it? You'll have to wait until chapter 5 (or possibly 6) since it will take me a little time to create.

That's all for today! Please let me know what you thought! I hope ya'll enjoyed it, and for my fellow travelers in life who also just finished finals, WOOT! SUMMER BREAK! -Unless your like me and have decided to shackle all of your free time and hot summer days on the beach to a life of summer school! Yay masochism!-

8D


	3. Chapter 3: The Last of Our Peaceful Day

Hello, Everyone! Long time no see!

I see you all have your pitchforks and torches out. Well... erm...

What can I say? I'm really sorry this upload took so long, but you don't understand! This chapter was really long, and I was going to separate it out into 3 different continuation chapter segments but decided the last one should be it's own chapter and it's just been REALLLLLLLLY long. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I'm exhausted so hopefully I didn't mess up too much. Let me know what you think! And remember, few more chapters to go and yall will get your gift!

* * *

Chapter 3: The Last of Our Peaceful Days

"Inuyasha, how can you be so selfish!?" Sango shouted fiercely. It had been a long day for her, taking care of her children, attending to house chores, and the occasional scowl or slap on the monk's cheek. Yet through it all she could not ignore the nagging worry she had for Kagome, and the steady anger that came with it. Seeing Inuyasha perched in the tree all day, and never once going to the woman he claimed to love who was, in no doubt, in distress, had been the breaking point for her. "You are the single, most self-centered jerk I have ever known!"

A crowd had formed around the scene despite the hot and dry breeze that encouraged the trickling of sweat down their backs. It wasn't new; in fact, an argument with Inuyasha was expected at least once a day by one of his comrades. Yet it was rare to see Sango as an opposer, and the escalation of the fight called for attention. It could have been the heat from the sun, which hung high noon above, or the many times she had withheld her harsh words, but Sango's normally calm demeanor was cast off, and a fury of rage was built inside her.

"Now, now my dear Sango," Miroku called to her calmly, their son fully awake in his arms while the twins stood at his side. "There is no need to be so upset."

"Like hell there isn't!"

"Ooooo. Mommy said a bad word!"

"Yeah, daddy! Mommy said 'hell'." The twins chimed with large, innocent smiles on their faces.

"Eh- Don't repeat your mother kids. How about you two take your little brother and play with Shippo. Away. From here."

"What?! Don't drop them on me Miroku!" Shippo protested but to no avail. The monk quickly placed his son into Shippo's arms, while the twins flocked to either side, interlocking their arms with his own.

"Come now Shippo," Miroku said with feigned innocence, "We can't be having the kids pick up on foul language at such a young age. Just give me some time to calm Sango down, then I promise to take them from your hands. Have fun now!" A repetition of pats on the head was all that was given to the fox kit, and Shippo was left dumbfounded.

"Come on Shippo!"

"Yes, Come!"

"We can go to the river!"

"And throw rocks at the water!"

The twins were adamant as they pulled Shippo through interlocked arms, who was unable to squirm free because he still held the little boy.

"Ah! Miroku! Sango, Kaede!" Shippo pleaded as he was being dragged away. "Somebody help!"

But none gave the fox demon any mind. They were too consumed with the skirmish before them. Sango refused to back down, while Inuyasha, wanting nothing more but to return to his daydreaming, was filled with arrogant annoyance.

"Get off my back, Sango!" He shouted in return. Why couldn't anyone just leave him alone! It wasn't like he was doing anything wrong. All he had done since he awoke was sit up in a tree, yet if it wasn't dirty looks or mumbled utterances, everyone seemed to be treating him as though he had burnt up all their crops! Which had only happened once, a long time ago, and it was an accident!

"No! I'm tired of you only thinking about yourself! Kagome is hurt, and all you've done is sit in that tree! You should at least apologize!"

"Apologize? Apologize for what!? I haven't done anything!"

"Ugh! Are you serious? You've hurt Kagome's feelings! Again! You should be off trying to make her feel better!"

Rin, who was still on top of Ah-Un's back, had patiently been waiting to the side for a chance to cut into the argument since she had arrived. It had been so difficult to get a word in throughout their shouting, and with each rising offensive remark, Rin's heart grew heavier and heavier. Her chest felt of stone, and her throat was tight with a burning ache that, she knew, came before tears. But now was her chance! If the problem was that Inuyasha wasn't trying to make Lady Kagome feel better, Rin knew that Lord Sesshomaru was already doing just that! All she had to do now was announce this information, and the fighting would stop! She was sure of it!

"Stop!" She shouted before Inuyasha could shout something back to Sango. "There is no reason for all this fighting! Lady Kagome is already being taken care of!"

There was a brief moment of silence between the combatants as they took in what Rin had said. Rin thought it a moment of victory, and she smiled gallantly at her success of stopping the fight. Unfortunately, the silence only stirred from confusion.

"I don't suppose you'd mind explaining, would you Rin?" Miroku asked with slight hesitation, hoping the answer wouldn't lead to an even grander fight.

"Lord Sesshomaru is taking care of Lady Kagome. He will make her feel all better!"

"That prick is doing what?!"

"I don't know why you're so upset, Inuyasha," Sango interjected. "It's not like you were going to make her feel better! It should be you instead of Lord Sesshomaru seeing to Kagome!"

"Why are you still biting my head off! Kagome's already got someone looking after her, so why does it matter?!"

"Why does it matter?! Why you-"

"Stop it!" Rin cried out, tears of frustration moistening her lashes. "Stop it right now! Friends shouldn't fight!"

Yet they ignored her, and the two friends continued in their argument. Dramatically, Rin hopped off of Ah-Un's back; she would place herself right in the middle of those two if that's what she needed to do to get their attention and stop them. Luckily, as her feet hit the floor, she saw what would be her salvation. Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome, drawn to by the noise, walked hastily towards the commotion. Rin eagerly ran towards them, a new hope arising within even though her brown eyes were moist with a thin layer of tears.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lady Kagome!" Rin called out, and with a budding desire to seek peace and tranquillity, she hugged at her lord much like she did before, only now she buried her face into the fabric of his hakama. Her tears moistened his clothes where she wept, and her voice was muffled when she spoke.

"Lord Sesshomaru, please make them stop. Please."

He scowled. If there was one thing he would not tolerate, it would be allowing the actions of his foolish half-breed brother to cause Rin to cry. It seemed wherever Inuyasha went, there was a stream of weeping women close behind; it was a burden that seemed to be falling irksomely towards Sesshomaru's care today. With a plan to make Inuyasha suffer, Sesshomaru placed a comforting clawed hand on top of Rin's head to assure her and guide her behind him. But before Rin had moved from her place, Kagome bent down to her level.

"Don't worry Rin." Kagome sweetly spoke in a tone so gentle that it seemed to whisk away all the errors of the day, "I'm going to make everything better. Just wait and see."

"Do you promise?" Rin asked, peeking her head around to look at Kagome though she still held onto Lord Sesshomaru.

"Of course I do." Kagome beamed. Then she stretched out her hand to Rin, her fingers closed to a fist with the exception of her pinky.

Sesshomaru watched curiously as the two made a strange hand gesture, interlocking their pinkies in a manner that resembled the process of making a pact. Immediately, Rin's sadness was lifted and her gleeful nature was returned. He didn't understand what had transpired, or how it could have made Rin feel better so quickly. It was as though Rin completely trusted the priestess, and was utterly certain she would succeed. It brought upon his curiosity, and Sesshomaru took note to ask the priestess about it later on. But for now, there was still the issue of the idiot half-breed and the loud slayer.

"Priestess-"

"I'll handle it Sesshomaru. He's my idiot after all."

"Hn. Should you require assistance-"

"Thanks, but I think I'll be okay. Rin, why don't you go to the river and play with Shippo? You're better at taking care of the kids anyway."

"You don't want Rin to stay?" Rin asked with a pout.

"I'd just rather talk to Inuyasha alone for right now. But I promise when I'm done, I'll come down to play too."

"Okay!" Rin gleefully exclaimed, no doubt already planning fun activities they could partake in. Skipping, she quickly took Ah-Un and Jaken, once more by force, away from the site.

Much to Kagome's surprise, Sesshomaru did not follow Rin but stayed where he was. She internally questioned his standstill position, but after noticing that his gaze was focused on the West, she let it be. Clearly, even if he was to focus on the conversation she would have with Inuyasha, it was evident that he was not there to simply witness a scandal as many of the other watchers were. It wasn't as though he would listen if she did tell him to leave anyhow, so it was fine with her.

She walked away from him and trotted towards the center of the two arguers, effectively catching their attention, yet failing to stop any commotion.

"That's not the point, Inuyasha! The point is that you're supposed to be caring for her, and yet your brother has done more for her today than you have in over a week! Kagome tell him I'm right!"

Kagome sighed. Was it possible to feel sympathy towards someone else's sympathetic actions? Sango was desperate, and it was a desperation which had spread from Kagome's deprival and Sango's sympathetic, caring heart. If the tone of her voice was not a window with how consumed she had become with worry for Kagome, the fact that she still wore her demon slayer attire spoke layers of how distracted she had been that she had forgotten to change. Guilt, which had become far too common in her life, resided within Kagome. She reserved herself as the one responsible for the condition that Sango was currently in; solely responsible for her desperation. Could she ever make this right?

"What do you care?! It's none of your business anyways!"

"Inuyasha, sit boy."

The weight of a freight train pulled against him towards the earth, and though he tried to fight against it, he quickly fell fast and hard onto the ground. A crater of his proportions was made, and his once comfortable seat upon the tree was forever lost to him as the branch he sat upon fell on top of his back, summoning another whelp of pain from the half-breed. No one else heard, except perhaps his brother, the growl that escaped his lips. If all eternity he would never hear that word again, it would be too soon. He lamented that word, which made him nothing more than a pet forced into subjugation. But he allowed this rise to dwindle away. Not to say that he was normally comfortable with this imposition, but his irritation was significantly potent today. He knew this, so he rose from his dirt with swallowed bitterness, attempting to control this potent venom of rage which threatened to spill from his fanged mouth.

"Sango," Kagome called sweetly and watched as Sango seemed to flinch from its gentleness, knowing full well this was not the reaction Sango was looking for. "I'd like to speak with Inuyasha alone."

"But Kagome-"

"Sango, love," Miroku chimed as he placed his hands onto the edges of his wife's shoulders, a sign of support and comfort. He took this moment given to him now to lead his beloved and ease her troubles. "We should listen to Kagome."

"Miroku..."

"This is her choice, Sango. And this is their relationship to work through. If they need us, we'll be there, but right now we would be doing more harm than good. Let her speak to him alone."

"Oh. Ooh alright." Sango placed a hand atop of one of his own in understanding. Miroku placed a kiss upon Sango's temple and then gently guided her away. Kagome watched with a half wonder if that was a true resemblance of what a relationship should be; something far different than what she had with Inuyasha. She looked around, the crowd fading away bit by bit, and she steadied herself for the conversation she was about to have.

"Old woman," Sesshomaru said with little regard, "Will you not leave and provide the privacy the priestess desires?" It was an attempt to quicken the dissipating of the crowd. He was, after all, eager to see the punishment that would be inflicted on Inuyasha for what he had done to his ward.

"And ye, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kaede asked with suspicion. "Will ye not leave also?" She looked up at him, a tower compared to her meager figure. Where he was a vision of perfection, she was a wrinkled figure with an old soul left to live for far too long and too hard. Yet, despite the fact that beyond their features he was eons older, and her vision was blurred with age, she felt she saw more than the Demon Lord would approve regarding the hidden meanings underneath his actions; she had seen the care he held for young Kagome.

"I am not inclined to obey to the priestess's wants." He spoke without a passing glance or hesitation. His arrogance was always impeccable.

"No, of course ye are not," Kaede mumbled as she began her small journey away from the scene to her hut close by, with worrisome thoughts about Lord Sesshomaru and Kagome passing through her mind. Before entering, she scoped out the little signals of hidden affection between the strange pair of friends who seemed to be growing fonder towards each other with every passing day. Kagome was easier to deduce since her general direction was faced towards the Demon Lord, though she did not look directly at him; a subconscious desire to be where he was. Lord Sesshomaru's display, on the other hand, was but a fickle moment as he briefly moved his focus from the West to Kagome when she turned away to walk towards Inuyasha, a gentle breeze carrying her scent towards him. Oh yes, Kaede's vision might have been blurred through her one well eye, but she saw it all, including the tender look in Lord Sesshomaru's eyes as he studied the young Kagome before returning his focus towards the West. It was a troublesome dance she had seen the two play out more and more frequently. Of course, neither would admit their hidden emotions, nor was she sure that they were even aware of their growing affections, and yet she saw it clearly. A worried filled thought passed her tired mind as she thought of what would happen should Kagome's and Inuyasha's relationship end. Would she choose to be with Lord Sesshomaru?

"Do not be a fool, Inuyasha." She mumbled to herself in a low tone as she walked into her hut, inaudible for anyone else to hear, even the Demon Lord. The idea of Kagome being with Lord Sesshomaru was a frightening thought for Kaede indeed; Lord Sesshomaru was a deadly demon after all.

At last, the crowd was gone. Under the scalding sun, only the half-demon, his brother, and a young priestess were around. Still sitting in his crater, Inuyasha had not moved by the time Kagome reached him, solely a foot away. He bore the expression of angered trout, brows forced downward with bitter contraction while his lips, so forced together that they became thin and crumbled at the center of his face, lines and creases stemming from them as they do with fish lips. His ears laid flat on his head, an obvious notion that he did not want to hear a thing Kagome had to say.

"In-yasha." She said barely above a whisper, her voice faltering into a dull pitch of a worried child scared of her own voice. Her intention was to be strong, and embarrassment became awash on her face in a flush of red tones at her pathetic beginning. With subtle coughs, she attempted again, with more force.

"Inuyasha."

"Yeah? What do you want?" He avoided eye contact with her, choosing to stare at blades of grass that moved whimsically at the side, though not focusing on a single one.

It was a harsh tone that nearly broke her; astringent with apathy, it struck her like a slap. In spite of this, Kagome drew more spunk and stood her ground with an epitomized stomp.

"I want to talk about what happened last night."

"Well, tough! Cause I don't feel like it!" He huffed, turning his face away from her and crossing his arms as if to say 'case closed'.

"Well too bad because I do!"

"That's not my problem."

"Grrr…. Inuyasha. SIT BOY!"

"Oomph!" A grunt escaped his lips as he, once again, hit the floor. "Damn it! When are you going to stop using that word?!"

"When you stop being such an arrogant jerk! Now sit down, shut up, and listen to what I have to say!"

"Keh. Whatever." He spoke while dusting off his clothes. He could already feel a long term pain in his back forming. Absentmindedly, he questioned just how long he'd be sore this time. "It's fine with me since, apparently, I won't be saying anything."

Kagome slumped to the ground, pounding her fist once into the earth as she did so to grab Inuyasha's attention. When he did face her, he was greeted with a face of utter animosity, and knowing how Kagome got when she was angry, he became deathly afraid. Immediately he struck his hands up in a sign of surrender and said in a shaky voice-

"I was… Just joking." _Please don't 'sit' me again._

A deep, long sigh escaped her lips as she shut her eyes, all residue of anger leaving her. She was too tired for such strong emotions to be maintained, and truth be told, she simply had gotten to the point where she didn't care anymore. How many times since she returned had she and Inuyasha fought? With a bitter chortle, she realized they fought anytime they could. Now a bit of sadness slipped into her weakened heart; what they had been doing to each other was so messed up. Maybe Sango was right. Maybe she should break up with Inuyasha, but was she really ready to do that?

Finally paying attention, Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was sad, almost as though she wanted to cry. _Damn. I did do something to hurt her feelings. But what the hell did I do? She was the one who barged into my hut last night, shouting out all those sits. I sure as hell didn't deserve that!_ Belligerent as always, he almost completely forgot the small inclining of care he had managed to conjure up for her in replacement for his overflowing umbrage. Almost, had it not been for another small sigh and her reclining back to sit in a somber upright position.

"Hey, Kagome?" He managed to say with care, something that, to a small degree, surprised her. "Come on. What's wrong?"

"Inuyasha… I had a dream about you and Kikyo last night."

And so their discussion began. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, nor why he had chosen to stay there; it was something he wanted to do. _That idiot half-breed will most likely leave her in tears again._ But what did that matter to him? Was that really the best excuse he could come up with? A confession that he did indeed care for the priestess no matter how small. Pathetic. Since when had he become so sympathetic towards her?

From where he stood, he was able to watch over his pack which played with his brother's own. The slayer and the monk acted as the caregivers, making sure the children remained close by, reminding them to not step into the deep end of the river and to play only at the shallow bank. Ah-Un also did his part, gently nudging the children back to safer waters should they get distracted and journey too far from the safe zone. His ward was playing with the twins, all three splashing water at Jaken, who had already fallen into the pull of watercourse multiple times, while the fox kit sat at the edge with the colorful writing utensils the priestess had given him. It was a calming view to see his pack enjoying themselves so, and a ghost of a smile appeared across his lips. It was a good thing he had made Rin stay here; she had made many friends and was happy with them, something that traveling with him would have deprived her of. He tried to distract himself with this comforting scene; though he had remained he did not want to eavesdrop on the priestess conversation. But eavesdrop he did, and it brought a rise of exasperation.

She had been so open with him before, telling him of her dream with explicit detail, of how she had felt when she had gone to Inuyasha, of her insecurities and sadness. Nothing was kept from him. So why now, when she finally had the audience she needed did she say so little? Hardly a word more was spoken about the dream she had after only detailing that it was about the half-breed and the undead priestess. She explained what she had heard him say in his sleep, but other than saying it had "upset" her and that being the reason she cried out so many sit commands, there was nothing more to it. Absolutely nothing was mentioned about how deeply her emotions were felt or the insecurities that stemmed from them. Her recollect was a simple summary and a rather plain one at that. Why was she keeping so much from him?

"That's the reason I was mad last night Inuyasha. I'm sorry."

"Oh. I see." He said not really looking at her, but so consumed with his thoughts that he didn't really focus on where he was looking at all. _So she had a dream about me and Kikyo too. No wonder she was mad. HEY! WAIT A MINUTE!_ "Hold up! What does that have to do with me! Just because you had a dream doesn't mean you can 'sit' me that many times, ya know!"

"I know." She spoke calmly, her head hung low that he couldn't see her eyes. He had half expected her to retaliate with anger and the fact that she had instead submitted made him shake a little with fear. This wasn't like her; she seemed almost… tired? Was she tired of fighting? Was she tired of him? "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I should have never said sit-"

"Ooomph!"

"Oops! Sorry!" She waved a hand as if to brush the incident away. "That was a complete accident."

"Grrr. Sure it was."

"Anyways. I'm sorry. I should have never said s- that word so many times. I'm really sorry."

"Humph." He stuck his nose up in the air. It wasn't like he didn't accept her apology, but it was weird for him to hear Kagome apologize so much; he wasn't sure how he was supposed to act. So he decided to go with being a jerk.

"Inuyasha?"

"Er- yeah?" He trembled slightly, fearing his momentary sense of entitlement might cause a very bad backlash filled with loud yelling and an array of 'sits'.

"Do you ever wish that Kikyo was here instead of me? That she had lived and I was back in my own time?" The truth. She needed to know it. She didn't think she could move on from this if she didn't know the truth. But what if the answer was yes? What would she do then?

Inuyasha hesitated. At his brief moment of silence, the world seemed to hush into its own quiet mood, awaiting the much-needed answer. The pressure was too great for him. How could he respond?! Why was she asking him this?! It made no sense! There was no way he could answer! So he avoided the question.

"What are you talking about Kagome? Don't be stupid."

But it wasn't stupid, and the fact that he didn't answer weighed heavily on her. He had refused the one thing she truly needed at the moment.

"It's not stupid!" She attempted one more time, a new rise of infuriation budding in her. "Just answer the question!"

"Why should I? It's not like it matters or is going to change anything." He spoke with arms crossed and eyes closed while he stuck his nose in the air, his sense of entitlement back. "Like I said. It's a stupid question."

"You want to know why it matters!" She stood, fists clenched and tight at her side. Her lungs burned with hot air and her enraged mind demanded the shouting of words she should never have said. "It MATTERS BECAUSE I DOUBT YOU WOULD EVER TREAT KIKYO THE WAY YOU TREAT ME!"

The floodgates had opened. Warm, salty tears trickled down her reddening cheeks. Her throat ached with violence as she suppressed anymore of unwanted words that threatened to spill from her angry mouth. To prevent another outburst, for she had already lost it, she turned away from the idiot, her steps filled with such savagery that any small living creature nearby scurried away from her presence. The birds were smart to leave, much smarter than a cowering Inuyasha who had an arm across his face in defense as he sat, bending away from her. Why he had not stayed silent, Sesshomaru would never understand.

"W-what?! Where the hell did that come from?!"

"Grrr! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit-Sit-Sit-Sit! SIT!"

Kagome walked away from a twitching Inuyasha, unable to rise from the grave she had pummeled him into making. She couldn't believe him! What a jerk!

Her angry strides were guiding her towards the direction Sesshomaru stood, his internal beast on alert. If the priestess believed she could carry her anger over and against him, she was sorely mistaken. He held an unnecessary growl behind his lips, ready to set her in her place should she show him any form of disrespect. So it surprised him when she stood before him, a deep sigh escaping her lips, and addressed him kindly and by his title.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Those were a pair of words he thought he would never hear come out of her mouth. "Are you ready to go down to the river?" She smiled at him. If she was angry, she hid it well.

"What? Kagome you can't just leave!" Inuyasha shouted at her, and in return, she sent a glare that shot like daggers. Oh if looks could kill.

"What do you say Sesshomaru?"

"Hn. I require one thing before we leave."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Use the command word once more on the half-breed. As punishment for making Rin cry."

"What!" Inuyasha's voice called out once more. "Sesshomaru you bastard! That's just cold, even for y-"

"Sit Boy!"

"Ooomph!"

"There. Happy?"

"Hn." Yes, he was. He was very happy.

~• •~

The sky was lit with a beautiful flush of coral pink that faded into a red berry fuchsia and deep indigo tint. Orange and gold clouds with soft white heads leisurely floated above, streaks of bright yellow sunlight cascading through their thin film like angelic hands reaching out to heaven. Kissing the hem of the horizon, the sun shone softly and beautifully as it pushed the remnants of its remaining light across the land, highlighting a peach cream hue across the tall grass of the plains. The gently coursing river, with its tender melody of water lapping over smooth rocks, reflected the tone of the sky so that it appeared to be made of liquid gold flowing down along the village. Despite the heat that had sweltered them during the day, a crisp, cool breeze was settling around them, the smell of autumn in its flowing currents. It was a beautiful sight.

"Wow, Shippo! These are amazing!" Kagome commended him as she looked at his various pages of artworks. She was low to the ground, knees folded so that her hamstrings touched her calfs, while Shippo brought this drawing and that picture. He was taller than when they had first met, and when Kagome sat like this they were the same height. With his tail swishing back and forth as he ran from one pile of artwork pieces to another, he delighted in Kagome's presence and commemoration.

"You really think so?" Shippo gleed as his tail wagged in merriment.

"Absolutely! Hey, what's this one?" Kagome reached down to a grab a folded piece of paper which had fallen out of Shippo's pocket. It was a drawing she had not seen yet.

"Wait! No, don't look at that one!" But it was too late. Kagome looked onto a drawing with such great detail and finesse that it awed and amazed her. It was a sweet drawing of a young girl with a vibrant spirit running around a two-headed dragon, a dazzling, reflective pond at their feet. It was especially stunning with the light of the picture seeming to be shining from Rin herself as if her own soul was the sun. It was gorgeous.

"Shippo, this is beautiful. It's way better than any of your other drawings!"

"I-it is?"

"Yes! The picture is so realistic, almost like if you took it with a camera!"

"What's a camera, Kagome?"

"Well, it's from my time. It looks like a tiny box made of plastic and metal with a lens, and it can capture a picture of anything. You just point and shoot at whatever you want."

"It takes a shot at you?! That sounds dangerous!"

"Only if you don't like taking pictures." She laughed before she noticed Shippo's shifting eyes and shuffling feet. He seemed to be waiting for her to give him his drawing back, while at the same time stealing glances at Rin. Then an idea popped into her head. "Shippo, is this a gift for Rin?"

"H-How did you know that!?"

"Aha! So it is a gift for Rin! Shippo, is there something you need to tell me? Hmmm? Maybe about some hidden feelings for Rin? Huh?"

"What! No, it's not like that!" Shippo defended with hands raised up crossing and uncrossing at a rapid pace to accentuate his denial. It truly wasn't. The idea had been an innocent one based on the sentiments that Shippo felt much like an older brother to Rin despite the fact that, at first glances, Rin appeared to be older. His demon years had one-upped her human ones, though, and with the great friendship they had built, Shippo felt a strong need to protect and make his little sister happy. Rin loved all his drawing, and she would love this one too once he would give it to her. Perhaps she would love it more than all the rest! So why hadn't he given it to her yet?

"Haha. I know, I was just kidding." Kagome rubbed the hair on top of his head in a teasing motion. Of course, she knew. Kagome knew better than anyone how her little Shippo felt, but that didn't change the fact that it was still fun teasing him!

"So?"

"So what?"

"So what's the problem? Aren't you going to give it to her? It is done, isn't it?"

"Yeah it is."

"So what are you waiting for?"

"W-... Well, I want to…" Shippo hunched his shoulders while tucking his chin to his chest, much like a turtle when it hides in its shell out of fear. With hooded eyes, he peeked over at Rin who was playing in the water, then he quickly glanced over at the being a few yards away who frightened him the most. He stood tall and regal; a monarch in standing with deadly ambitions and fatal skill. Quick to avoid being caught, Shippo averted his eyes promptly to stare at the floor beneath his feet. A shallow sigh escaped his mouth as he reveled in the relief that it seemed he had avoided the demon's notice. Lord Sesshomaru was truly frightening.

"Huh? Shippo, what's wrong?"

"It's just… that I can't… Not while _he's_ there."

"Hm? He? You mean Sessho-"

"Shh-Shh-Shhh!" Shippo hushed her, so startled that he practically jumped her to silence her mouth with his hands. "I don't want _him_ to know that we're talking about _him_!"

She grabbed his hands, lifting them away from her mouth gently. "I don't understand Shippo? Why are you afraid of Sess- him? More importantly, why are you afraid to give Rin a gift because of him?"

"What if he attacks me?"

"Why would he attack you for giving a drawing to Rin?"

"Gee I don't know!" Shippo attempted to shout while staying at whispering level. "What if I disrespect him somehow on my way over there without knowing it! He could cut off my head with that new sword of his in a second, and I wouldn't know!"

"Oh is that all?" Kagome said cheerfully with an innocence that reminded Shippo much of Rin. "I'll tell you what, Shippo, let's make a little deal. You go give Rin the gift, and if Sesshomaru tries anything, I'll take him on for you. Okay?"

At this, Shippo's face drooped. With raised eyebrows over half lidded eyes and a sunken mouth that jutted out to the side of his face, it was evident that Shippo had not been fooled by Kagome's over confidence.

"Hey, what's that face for?"

"You can't be serious Kagome."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're good, but you're nowhere near that good. He'd squash you like a bug without even trying." Shippo lifted his hands to the sides of his shoulders, palms facing towards the sky, while he shook his head back and forth as if to say _Do I really need to explain this? It's so obvious._

 _Hehe. So he saw through that, did he?_ "Eh-" Kagome giggled nervously, waving a hand in front of her face to wave the incident away. "Ohhh, well I could always bring him down with my feminine wiles... or something. Anyways, never mind that. Now let's go!"

"What! Hey, Kagome! Let go! Stop pushing me!"

"No can do! Now you go down to that river and give that girl her gift!" A large smile was on Kagome's face, and she gave Shippo one final push before lifting her hands up to the air and down again in repetitions as she shouted, "BANZAI!"

He swallowed deeply. There was no way Kagome was going to let him off the hook on this one, not with how excited she was. So very slowly, with a trembling body and a nervous heart, Shippo took shaky steps one by one towards the river. Frequently, he would look over towards the Demon Lord, hoping to not be met with the glint of his sword or an angry gaze. It took what felt like ages before finally reaching the edge of the river where his friend played. Nervously, he called out.

"R-Rin."

Water soaked many parts of her new Kimono, a gift that she had professed her love for over and over again as she spun around in circles when Lord Sesshomaru had given it to her, right after returning from where the fight had been. A fine lilac purple fabric with turquoise orchid sequences of the flowers falling in clusters from top left to bottom right detailed the beautiful flowing Kimono. It contrasted magnificently with the golden river she played in as she splashed here and there trying to catch the quick fish that swam around her. She must have been at it for hours, and even after her playmates took to resting on shore, she continued on in her efforts with cheer, despite failing at each attempt. Her laughter was endless as each escaping fish splashed at her; she was having the time of her life.

At the sound of her name, she looked up from her playful task, half believing it may have been Lord Sesshomaru who had called out to her. Yet as she looked towards the bank, she was equally happy to see it was her fox demon friend who had called out her name.

"Shippo!" She shouted happily as she ran towards him, almost tripping and falling into the water multiple times on the way. Though she hardly felt tired, she pretending to be exhausted when she had finally reached him, placing her hands on her knees as she huffed and puffed with a large smile on her face. It made her extremely happy to see a large smile appear on her friend's face as well at her little gimmick, always knowing when she was playing around.

"Hi, Rin."

"Have you come to help Rin catch fish, Shippo? Oh please say yes! It's so much more fun when there are two of us! We might even be able to catch one!"

"Oh, n-no that's not why I came. I mean, I will, but-"

"You will! YAY!" Rin shouted with merriment and pirouetted around and around, only half listening to Shippo's words.

"Rin, wait. I have something I want to give you first."

"Oh?" She questioned, finally stopping in her spinning, and just in time. She was starting to get dizzy. To her surprise, Shippo held out to her a folded piece of paper, his head placed in a bow. Rin looked at the paper curiously, for it looked like any other white piece of paper, and she wondered what could be hidden within its folds. Before taking the gift, Rin pointed to herself and asked. "This is for Rin?"

"Uh-huh,Her" Shippo said while nodding his head which was still in a bow.

Excitedly, Rin took the piece of paper into her hand and carefully began to unfold it, the tip of her tongue pushed the side outside her lips as she bore a concentrated expression. When she finally unfolded it, Rin exclaimed loudly. "Oh, Shippo! I Love it! I shall cherish it forever and ever! For the rest of my days!" Then, much how she did when Sesshomaru gave her his gift, Rin began to spin around in circles shouting, "I love it! I love it! I love it!" completely forgetting her current practice of speaking in third person. At least momentarily.

Sesshomaru was content to see his ward so happy. He found it rather amusing when the fox kit walked rather slowly towards the river, constantly looking towards him to see if he would attack, and had considered giving the kit an icy stare just to watch him jump out of his skin. This was better, though, and he was glad he did not give into petty temptation.

"Awe. That's sweet, isn't Sesshomaru."

His amber eyes glided over to the priestess who stood beside him and was watching Rin and the fox kit moved to play in the river after Rin handed a resilient Jaken a precious drawing to put into Ah-Un's pack. The sunlight touched her cream skin like faint honey, an amber tone highlighting her soft features with golden flecks of light sparkling where the water droplets she had gained, when she had played with Rin, hadn't dried as of yet. _Speaking of petty temptations._

He almost sighed at the fact that he found her beautiful, and greatly wished to slap some sense into himself for even thinking such thoughts. It would have been wise to ignore her, but clearly, he was not thinking wisely at the moment.

"Hn. She and the fox kit seem to be good friends."

"Oh yeah. They're the best of friends. Attached at the hip really, which I guess explains why they get into so much mischief." She tittered, bringing her finger up to her lips during her short laugh.

"Is that so?"

 _Uh-oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Quick Kagome, recover! Recover!_

"Uhh- Well not that they get into mischief, you know? Just that they do things they're not supposed to sometimes." _Ah! Misfire! Misfire!_ "But not all the time! In fact, they don't really get in trouble at all! Just ignore everything I said-"

"Priestess."

 _Mayday, mayday! I think this girl is going down._ "Uh… Yes?"

"What exactly would you have done if this Sesshomaru had decided to intimidate the fox kit?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, a whisper of a smirk on his lips. Kagome, on the other hand, nearly fell over with surprise. She had been caught!

"Er- You heard that?" A nervous laughter escaped her lips as she scratched the back of her head, attempting to look as non-guilty as possible.

"Hn. I heard every word, priestess."

 _Gulp!_ "Y-you did huh? L-like what, exactly? Hehe…"

"Bring me down with your feminine wiles, was it? I'm curious to know how you would have gone about that, and whether it would have ended well for you." The thought alone had the capability to make him smile in amusement should he have allowed it to.

"Ep! You weren't supposed to hear that! I mean it's not like I meant it or anything-"

"Hn. That is a shame." He said in the midst of her nervous rambling.

"-I wasn't really going to… Wait. What did you just say?"

"That it is a shame that you did not intend to follow up on your words. You're much more admirable when you are overly confident."

Kagome felt her jaw drop and her eyes bulge. For a moment, she was speechless. She couldn't have possibly heard what she thought she did.

"Maybe you are as weak minded as I initially thought you to be."

If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that she had heard THAT correctly! Her open jaw quickly converted to a gritted one and she became livid. How dare he be so rude! If he thought he could talk to her like that, he had another thing coming! With fists clenched at her side while a fire was stoked in her belly, Kagome prepared to give the rant of a lifetime! But then she saw it; a little glimmer of mirth in those amber eyes of his that looked down at her with amusement trapped behind a face that hid all emotions. It stumped her, and rather than responding with a fire of anger, Kagome flowed with confusion.

"Hey, Sesshomaru. Are… Are you messing with me?" _There is no way he'd tease me this far. This is Sesshomaru I'm talking about here. The farthest he's ever gone with teasing me are one sentences chastisement about me not using his title. He would never waste his time trying to jive me like this._ Yet astonishment overtook her as she heard his answer.

"Perhaps I am." He smiled. He couldn't help it, for when he looked at her dumbfounded expression, he found it to be one of the funniest things he had ever witnessed. Wide chocolate eyes matched with a gaping mouth as she leaned forward in surprise, any sign of brain activity completely lost from her face; he briefly worried that he had broken her. Then a smile broke out on her face, and a joyful laughter escaped her amazed mouth.

"I can't believe you!" She said through broken laughter, shock still apparent on her glowing face. "You're such a jerk," Merth radiated through her, and she playfully hit his arm. "Playing me on like that! Give me a warning next time, will you?"

At the base of a tree, not too far from the river, a dog-eared boy heard the phrases that had been told to him countless of times, always in anger. It was difficult for him to understand, then, how they now sounded so bubbly and exuberant. He didn't want to know who could have made her so happy; the knowledge that she could have said those things to him with cheer rather than resentment was enough to make him miserable. _Have I really been so horrible to her? Maybe I do treat her worse than I did with Kikyo. I never made Kikyo so mad as I do with Kagome. Kikyo…_ He sighed. Would this hole in his chest for his lost love ever fade away?

~• •~

"Miroku, don't you think it's strange?"

"Whatever do you mean Sango?"

"I mean Kagome and the fact that she seems to have befriended Lord Sesshomaru. I mean, look! I think she might be laughing!"

"I believe her face is more of a pleasant shock."

"That's not the point. This is Sesshomaru we're talking about. I can't imagine him saying anything that would beget such positive emotions." Sango looked down at her three-month-old, holding a private wish that he wouldn't turn out with an attitude like Lord Sesshomaru… Or Inuyasha… Or Miroku. Shippo. If he turned out like Shippo, she would be happy. Actually, just as long as he wasn't passive aggressive, boisterous and rude, or a lecherous womanizer, she would be happy. Please don't let him be a lecherous womanizer!

"True, I must agree it is strange. However, she may be choosing to spend time with him because, right now, he is exactly what Kagome needs."

"How so?"

"Well…?" Miroku contemplated as he scratched his cheek. "Say she came to either you or me. Where would the course of the conversation have gone? Most likely, it would be over her and Inuyasha's fight. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, doesn't care for that topic. If someone was to begin a conversation with him, if he allowed it, I see it going in two directions. He would either allow that person to decide the course of the conversation, him responding with little or no responses, or he would take complete control of the situation, the conversation included. In Kagome's case, either way, the topic of their fight has nearly an impossible chance of coming up. And that may be exactly what she is looking for."

"Oh." Sango, realization settling in, moved her gaze from her younglings to Kagome. A brightness radiated from her as she mingled with Lord Sesshomaru. There was little shyness in her, and she was not careful with her words or action. Sango instinctively became worried for her friend when she noticed that she had hit him, only to see that there was no retaliation done to her. She was happy in a way she hadn't been for some time, even with Sango. She was a great deal happier now than how she was when Sango left her this morning. "Maybe we are a bit more nosy than we should be."

"Maybe so, but that's expected. We are aware of the intimate and private sectors of her and Inuyasha's relationship. Remember that we were witnesses to the Kikyo years and all the ways their relationship had been affected. There is little that we do not know, and so our knowledge prevents us from taking a bystander point of view. But do not fret my dear Sango," Miroku said slyly as he reached a hand down to Sango's supple behind. "She will come to us when she needs us."

 _SMACK!_

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, but I thought I told you to only do that in private." The eyebrow above Sango's left eye twitched, and her husband laid on the floor with a new vibrant red mark on his cheek.

"My apologies." He spoke with little white streams of tears flowed down his face.

"Oooo. Daddy."

"Did you do something bad?"

"Cause Mommy gave you pow pow!"

"A big pow pow!"

"Look how red it is!"

"Red and swollen!"

The twins giggled as they poked and climbed over their father who remained still on the floor, holding the expression of teasing pain though he gleamed with love for his children.

Sango smiled. Miroku was a good husband to her, and a great father to his children. A day did not pass where they did not feel loved by him, always expressing his care and devotion to them either in supportive words or playful actions. She loved her husband, and he loved her in return. The thought of Kagome passed through her mind once more, and she stole a glance at her friend while Miroku came alive, capturing the twins in his arms as he pretended to eat them causing an assortment of loud laughter to escape from the children. Kagome had been so misfortunate in finding love, where Sango had been so blessed. Sango's heart bled for Kagome and yearned for her to find the love which she deserved. She had hoped that if Kagome relinquished her tie with Inuyasha, fate would grant her good fortune where she had so little. Her words had been said with good intentions, but now she bit her lip with concern of the consequences her words may produce. For who exactly was Kagome to find a new love with if she did leave Inuyasha? Few names crossed Sango's mind, and with great perplexity, she found that Lord Sesshomaru was the most likely candidate. She glanced at Kagome once more who was waving her hands in the air, most likely attempting to explain something from her time to Lord Sesshomaru. Happiness radiated from her while the demon lord listened patiently. It was an odd sight indeed, and a curious foreshadow of what could be. If Kagome were to choose Sesshomaru, would that be so bad if she, already, was happier with him than with her dearest friends? Initially, the answer was yes for the general consensus was that Lord Sesshomaru was a demon to avoid if possible, but as Sango studied their interactions, she began to believe that perhaps it would be better for Kagome to be with him.

"Miroku, I'm worried that I may have said something to Kagome that I shouldn't have."

"Oh? And what might that have been, love?"

"I told her she should leave Inuyasha."

"Oh." Miroku looked towards the direction where Sango gazed. It took but a moment for similar thoughts to cross his mind, and his eyes widen in realization to the consequences Sango's words might have. "Oh! Well… that is certainly vexing!"

~• •~

She spoke of things he had never heard of, as she often did when they were together, reminiscing about her own time. Though she acted as though she did not miss her home, Sesshomaru knew that she did greatly. It made her happy to speak of things that were now out of her grasp, and with a soothing voice that washed over him like a cooling fountain as she spoke of things that sparked his curiosity greatly, he listened intently while, absentmindedly, studying her features.

Chocolate eyes with transparent, navy blue streaks that flowed from the edges of her pupil into the beauty that was her iris sparkled with the reflection of the dimming sunlight. Dark, black hair with midnight blue tint flowed with the currents of the wind, frequently grazing her cheeks with subtle touches before she would push the strands back behind her ear. Her jawline was formed perfectly to create the heart shape of her face, smooth and delicate. As she spoke, Sesshomaru's eyes fluttered to her soft lips, a natural, light pink giving them color. She was beautiful.

Something stirred within him then, deep inside his chest with intense pressure and warmth, as if the sun was placed inside him. What was it? A growl? A pull? Desire...He scolded himself. For what reasons did he have to desire to be with her? To hold her, and to kiss those lips that moved in such graceful motions? He looked away from her. Impossible. With great stubbornness, he relinquished what he felt inside him, as easily as snuffing out a candle. As far as he was concerned it was a fluke and nothing more. Looking towards the river, he returned to listening to her words.

"Your village sounds very successful."

"Oh, it is! It's very advanced. There were public schools, highways, huge skyscrapers and airplanes, and-"

"You've lost me again, priestess."

"Oh, sorry." She scratched her cheek while her tongue stuck out playfully, a picture of blamed purity. "Umm.. let me think. What to start with?"

"Priestess, why, if you hold your village in such high regards, do you not return?"

"Well... actually…" She slumped downwards, a sense of depression weighing on her.

"You do not need to answer if you don't want to. I'm simply curious."

 _He would allow me to not answer? That's actually kinda sweet, considering who it's coming from._ Kagome smiled. It hadn't surprised her just how intelligent Sesshomaru was, or how endless his curiosity could be. He was so used to having the answers that when he didn't, he could stay fixated on it until he knew for certain. She remembered when she had tried to explain to him that she was from the future shortly after she returned, only to find out he had figured it out years ago. 'Your clothes are too revealing and you are far too unruly and disrespectful to be from our time' he had told her. Apparently, he made this conclusion shortly after the third time she had gotten in the way of him and Inuyasha fighting, her insolence sparking enough curiosity in him to find out just who this brat was. His answer was correct, naturally. However, there was still much he didn't know, and she suspected this was the reason why he allowed her to speak about it so often, unlike her friends who didn't seem to care much about her time. Especially Inuyasha, who, anytime she brought up her own time, would complain how he no longer had those instant ramen meals he loved so much. It was nice to have someone to talk to about it and extremely kind of him to hold off his curiosity if she didn't want to speak.

"Thanks, Sesshomaru. Maybe another time."

"Hn."

"Kagome!" Sango called out, Miroku and their kids beside her. The sun had dipped well beyond the horizon's view by this point, the night quickly taking over the sky with darkness and flecks of light from the stars coming into view. "Come on, it's time for dinner! We're all going to Kaede's! You too Shippo! Rin!"

"K! Be there in a second-" And then her face dropped. She looked towards the regal demon beside her who stood patiently. This was the first day he had ever stayed for so long. Normally he would leave after a few hours, but he had spent all day with her. Now that it was night, he would be leaving; it would be days before she saw him again. Kagome's heart tightened. She didn't want him to leave. She couldn't explain why, but the thought of him saying goodbye brought a thin layer of tears in her eyes. She was aching at the thought of him leaving; at the thought of being alone again.

Sesshomaru was not blind to her sudden downcasted nature, her head low while her hands clutched at her chest. It didn't make sense. One minute she was calling out to the slayer with blatant cheer, and the next she sunk into herself, as if she just found out her pet had died. It puzzled him greatly.

"Priestess, explain to me why your mood has changed?"

"Y-You're going to leave now aren't you?"

"Yes." Of course he was. What else did she expect him to do? In any case, he was irritated at the fact that rather than answering his question, she changed the subject to his departure.

Yet when she looked up at him, confused sadness written across her face, it dawned on him that perhaps that was the answer. The prospect of his departure brought sadness to the priestess. Confusion riddled him, but it was paired with that warmth in his chest he had felt earlier. It pleased him to know she didn't want him to leave, and that fact displeased him.

His intentions were to leave without a word to her; to simply say goodbye to Rin and leave it at that. Those intentions, however, were never fulfilled. As large chocolate eyes looked at him with that dangerous, heartbroken look she had given him earlier, those 'puppy-dog eyes' as she had called them, his mouth became traitorous, and he spoke words out of impulse and without thought.

"Should you ask it of me, I will stay."

It surprised her just as much as it had surprised him, yet she took only a moment before becoming animated.

"Yes! Sesshomaru, would you stay?"

"Hn."

The warmth that was within him burned to his ears which, unbeknownst to him, had been waiting earnestly to hear those words. This sense of goodness that had stemmed from the fact that the priestess did, indeed, wish for him to stay, pulsed in him from the inside out. These feelings only grew more as the priestess began jumping up and down while clapping her hands, unexpected and overflowing happiness gushing from her. She was so happy he would stay, and this pleased him as much as it confused him.

As Sesshomaru told Rin goodnight, instructing Jaken and Ah-Un to head back to the west without him, Sango and the others questioned Kagome endlessly. Various questions were asked of her, such as what had Lord Sesshomaru done to make her so happy, and why wasn't Lord Sesshomaru leaving with the rest of his pack, though none were answered.

 _I can't believe he's going to stay! I can't believe he offered! I can't believe I'm so excited about this! I shouldn't be excited, but I am! Sesshomaru is going to stay!_ Kagome bit her lip as she walked, her reasonable mind fighting with her unreasonable heart. She barely heard the voices of her friends as they trailed behind her, too focused on the thoughts about the conflicting emotions within herself.

* * *

It's not done yet! Onward to chapter 3 continued!


	4. Chapter 3: The Last--Continued

:3

Now is the time to open your eyes. I really like the ending to this chapter right before Miroku's segment -yes Miroku, I have an issue with your acting but I'm too tired to think of something better at the moment. I might rewrite the scene later... If i feel like it...-

Anyway, gotta love love triangles! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3 continued: The Last Of Our Peaceful Days

The hut was lit by the cooking fire which burned at the center of the hut, a black cauldron above it holding the bubbling soup Kaede had made. With her hunched over her concoction, steam rising and falling around her as she stirred the soup of unknown ingredients, Kaede closely resembled a witch mixing her spell. Sitting at the left corner of the hut closest to the door, Inuyasha grumbled to himself with his arms crossed as one of his legs twitched up and down in rapid repetitions. His ears remained flat on his head as the group entered, Kagome leading the way. He flinched at the sight of her, expecting her anger to roll over him, but she barely paid him any mind. Instead, he saw that she was inexplicably happy, a radiant smile on her face as she passed by him without a glance.

"Uhh… Kagome?"

Shippo and Rin dashed past her as she paused at the sound of her name, the twins quickly following with their parents close behind.

"What's up?" She mumbled, a hint of irritation in her voice that she was now last in line.

"Well, it's just that you seem happy."

"Because I am of course."

"You mean, you're not mad anymore?"

"Why would I be mad?"

Completely distracted, Kagome spoke with nary a thought, responding simply to respond with little attention to what the conversation held. With eyes fixated on the mystery soup ahead, she gnawed at her lip senselessly, a race of running thoughts coursing in circles over and over again within her mind. How the heck did I end up last in line? I thought I was first! I hope there is still enough for me and Sesshomaru once it's my turn. Speaking of which, how am I supposed to explain why I need two bowls? This would be so much easier if he just agreed to come in too. He's such an outdoor dog, refusing to enter a human's hut.

"Gee I don't know! Maybe because you've been biting my head off all day because you had a dream about me and Kikyo!"

That was a name that caught her attention. Immediately, her head swiveled, finally giving full attention to Inuyasha as the thoughts in her head slowed to dull whispers.

"What about Kikyo?" She snarled, eyes blazing with disdain.

"Aha! See you are still mad, I knew it! You're so easy to read it's pathetic."

"Of course I'm still mad stupid! What on earth made you think I wasn't?!"

"Wha- You just said so yourself, stupid!"

"Well clearly I wasn't paying attention now was I?!"

"Oh yeah, it's clear alright! What was that about anyway, huh? You coming in here all giggles and smile like some kind of-"

"Kagome, child, it's ye turn." Kaede practically whispered, a stark difference to the couple's unpleasant shouting, and it was enough to pull Kagome away from the argument. With the utmost of gratitude, Kagome kneeled at the floor's edge just before its dip into the square fire pit. A tingling relief traveled up her spine, content that she had, physically and mentally, put Inuyasha behind her.

"Ah, thanks, Kaede."

"Hey, don't ignore me when I'm talking to you-"

"Sit!"

"Oomph." Inuyasha plummeted, and Kagome, after a few rewarding moments of watching his squirming figure, turned her agitated gaze away from him. She had other tasks to care for after all.

"Kaede would you mind giving me two bowls please?"

"Two bowls? Whatever reason for?"

All heads in the room stood at attention, the request sparking their insatiable curiosity. The most notable to Kagome was Sango, her sister, who looked at her with quizzical yet appalling revelation. She knows. Wide, coffee-colored eyes looked straight at her, bewildered with her jaw slightly slacked, her lips parted in a show of shock. Heat radiated within Kagome, a fiery force of embarrassment coloring her cream skin until it was neon pink. Mentally, Kagome willed for Sango's silence, who, gratefully, slowly closed her mouth in understanding while her coffee-colored eyes became calm with a swallow.

Another racing thought passed through Kagome's mind, chastising herself for her behavior. She had asked Sesshomaru to stay, who obliged. That was not necessarily a bad thing, nor was there any hidden agenda to her actions. She simply wanted to spend more time with him. Ugh. That sounds awful. Her thoughts were cruel with self-criticism as she remained firm on the fact that this… get together... was not some form of an assignation or tryst, even though, at the brim of her consciousness, it felt like just that. She shook her head at the thought, blaming her hunger for the strange feeling within her abdomen. A lie spilled from her mouth, which was currently far more preferable from the truth.

"I skipped lunch today, so I'm just… more hungry than usual." It sounded forced, and she gnawed at her lip in self-punishment. Was that the best she could come up with?

"If that is the case, then why do I not simply put more in ye's one bowl?"

"No! That's okay. I'll take two bowls, please. I'd rather not chance spilling any during my walk."

"Ye walk?"

"Yes. That's right. I plan on eating outside tonight."

"The hell?" Inuyasha grunted. "Why on earth would you want to eat outside?"

Kagome turned in exasperation, large angry eyes with pursed lips glaring directly at him. Will you shut up! I don't have an answer! I'm making this horrible excuse up as I go! Then it dawned on her. The object of her new perfect excuse cowered at her stare, and she hummed internally in triumph, knowing fully well that, for once in this long questionnaire, this would be believable.

"What do you think?!" She shouted. "To get away from you of course!"

Before another word was said, Kagome took the two bowls in Kaede's hands, standing to leave with little form of gratitude and exemplifying her immaculate acting skills. Light reassurance cooled her heated mind as she believed she had done it, until, after only two steps, a small pair of hands grabbed at her red hakama. Shippo looked up at her with concern and care, sympathy abounds.

"I can come with you if you'd like Kagome. That way you won't be alone."

"No Shippo that's okay." She ruffled his head, a gentle smile on her face. She loved how boundless his warmth and attentiveness could be, always willing to try and cheer someone up, but she didn't want him preoccupied over her. After all, it was all just an act. "Besides, you've got to get to bed soon. Don't forget you have your training classes in the morning."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup! Don't worry about me. A girl needs her alone time after all." And with that she slinked out through the bamboo curtain door, finally escaping before any more questions could be asked of her.

Well, that was a pain. She sighed as she relaxed, walking towards the direction she knew Sesshomaru to be waiting. Any semblance of sunlight had dissipated to the will of the shadowy night as twinkling stars and a bright, silver full moon lingered in the sky. Night time was her favorite time, when the sky was lit in various tones of swirling blues and other dark tones that contrasted so greatly with the stars, magnifying the beauty of their flickering light. She could see so much more of its beauty in this era, unlike her own time where light pollution had been so endless it snuffed out this beauty. Tonight was especially beautiful, with only a stray cloud here or there, and she was gracious to the luminescent moon that lit the path for her. The music of the night filled her ears as scarce crickets began their quartet to the tempo of the nearing babbling river, and for a moment, she was lost to it all.

A sight, more beautiful than that of the night she enjoyed, made her halt in her steps. The moonlight reflected off of him with a glow so profound and magnificent, as though he were another moon that so graciously decided to descend onto earth. Maybe the moon is the one reflecting his light. She blushed with a small giggle, her heart briefly skipping until unwelcomed rational thoughts scrutinized her irrational behavior. Anxiously, she yearned to place a hand upon her chest where her stuttering heart struggled to regain rhythm, yet the two bowls she held prevented her from doing so. Did I just… Her actions, her thoughts, she realized, were like that of a girl with a crush. Defiantly, she shook her head. No. No way. My hunger is just getting at me, that's all, and he his strikingly beautiful. There is nothing wrong with admitting that. A deep breath filled her lungs as she regained control of herself. It was a fluke. Nothing more.

Resolved with her admissions, she walked towards him, pushing her moment of irrationality to the very dark, secluded corners of her mind. He could hear her, she knew it, yet he made no moves to acknowledge her, his direction focused solely to the west while his eyes scrutinized something unseen; He was deep in thought.

"Sesshomaru?"

Amber eyes peeked down at her, and at noticing what she held in her hands, they bore the expression of displeasure while a long breath escaped from him, his shoulders slumping a degree. Did he just huff at me? I'm fairly certain that counted as a huff.

"Priestess, I told you. I do not require your human food."

" I know you don't require it." The damn dog could starve for ages and not die if he ever allowed himself to get to that point that is. "But you still get hungry, and since you've been tagging along with me all day, I suspect you are. Now sit." She slumped to the ground herself, sitting cross-legged as one hand held her bowl in front of her while the other held up the second bowl towards its respective owner.

"You dare to command me, priestess?" He jived, fully aware that she had not meant it in such a way yet eager to tease her for speaking to him in that manner. Kagome did not flinch, however, and she looked up at him with animated, excited eyes. Pursing her lips as she built more courage within herself, causing them to become a shade deeper in color, she steeled herself with an eager smile.

"Yes. I do dare… Sit boy."

His ears rung at her words while bewildered eyes gazed down at her, the mask falling for a single moment. His voice was lost to him, shocked into submission. It was too much for him to believe. No one had ever dared to command him with the exception of his parents and even they were weary to not do it often. Yet here was this little priestess, this little human priestess, who only this morning was lacking any form of confidence, commanding him to sit with the same subjugation words she had used so many times on his little brother. He could practically feel the invisible reins of her will pulling on him, and he was speechless.

A broad smile was placed on her lips, adrenaline and excitement coursing through her, as, victoriously, Sesshomaru took to sit beside her. She gleamed at him, her smile widening as she took note of how, with an irate expression, he refused to look at her. She had just commanded the greatest of all demons, and he, out of shock, obeyed. It was enough to send her merry ego to soaring heights. Courage still flowed within her, and she dared, once more to push against the edge a little more.

"Here." She held out a bowl to him. "Take it."

"Careful priestess. It is not wise to provoke a demon, especially one who has already given you what you asked simply because you managed to intrigue him."

Intrigue? Yeah right. I left you speechless and you know it. She giggled, but took in his words, deciding not to cease, but rather to change tactics.

"Sesshomaru?" He peered at her. Damn this priestess. A growl escaped from him. Looking up at him were those damnable puppy dog eyes, so soulful and full of patient pleading, and he had half a mind to reprimand her for her assault. Bitterly, he snatched the bowl away if only to cease her vexing stare, and she giggled festively. This was amusing her far too much, and, rebelliously, he took his new possession and sat it on the ground on the other side of him, away from the priestess. She said to take it, not for him to eat it. Immediately, her giggling fit ended, and he found he was missing it. He looked down at her once more, and this time she was kneading her lower lip in disappointment, a look far more devastating than that of her puppy dog eyes.

"Priestess." It felt as though something heavy had been placed on his chest, weighing him down. He recognized it, a minute feeling of what he had felt the second time Rin had died; he felt guilty.

"Please, Sesshomaru." She spoke, all playfulness in her voice gone. "I know you don't need to eat, and it's probably not as good as what you're used to, but you do get hungry. I feel bad. If it wasn't for me, you'd probably be at home having dinner right now."

He exasperated with another huff, lifting the bowl he had just placed down. Glee returned to the priestess's demeanor, and she ate greedily from her bowl. He ate as well, ignoring the nagging voice in his head that castigated him for obeying the human priestess. With a side thought, he agreed with the priestess that this food was not up to his standards. In fact, he found it quite deplorable.

Kagome, who at first was eating her soup with vigor, found that she was becoming quite full and began playing the mystery chunks she had left, pushing them around with her spoon trying to figure out just what they were. Did she even want to know? Almost as quickly as he had picked it up, Sesshomaru placed the bowl down beside her. Believing he still hadn't eaten, Kagome was ready to complain, only to find that the bowl was empty. Well, that was fast. She smiled, feeling better now knowing his stomach wasn't empty because if her. Continuing to play with her food, Kagome frequently took short glances at the demon prince. The silence ebbed at her, eating at her from the inside out as he nonchalantly kept his focus on the West.

"Sesshomaru, can I ask what it is that you are doing?"

"I am listening to my lands."

Listening? "You can hear it from all the way out here?"

"I am a demon, remember?" He smirked at her.

"Right, how could I forget." Him and his superhuman hearing? Or is it super demon hearing? "What are you listening for?"

"I am assuring that it is not disturbed. I was… detained for today and unable to patrol it as I normally would have."

"Oh." Kagome pursed her lips. "You should… probably go then. I wouldn't want to detain you from your duties." She bit back the sting in her chest as she spoke. Jeez Kagome, what is wrong with you? There is no reason for you to get all choked up just because Sesshomaru has to leave. Get a grip girl.

"No." Her head shot up in surprise at the sound of his declination, and she looked up at him with great expectation. "Did I not give you my word that I would stay if you had asked it of me? I will remain here until you say otherwise."

Her heart swelled with happiness. She didn't know why he was being so kind to her and she didn't care; she was only grateful to him. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

"Priestess?"

"Yes?"

"Your friends do not know you are with me, do they?" He asked though it sounded more like a statement; he already knew the answer of course.

"Er- no. Why?"

"They are on their way now to spy on you."

"Wha-What!" No way! They wouldn't! How could he know? Oh right. Super hearing. Kagome could practically slap herself. How could she completely forget that her friends were the most eavesdropping, nosy, snoopy, meddling, buttinsky, kibitzers to ever walk the earth! They were just like her! But now they were on their way to spy on her, and she didn't want them to know what she was doing. It was completely irrational, she knew it, especially since it wasn't like she and Sesshomaru were on a date or doing anything. Stop thinking like that girl! She shook her head. What was wrong with her?! She was thinking like a little school girl with a crush again. Still, the issue remained that despite that this get together was purely innocent, just two friends spending some time together, she didn't want them to know. This outing, for reasons she could not explain, was something that she wanted to keep secret, like a girl not wanting her parents to know that she had snuck out of the house in the middle of the night.

With a jolt and a deep, burning desire to keep her little secret from her friends, Kagome turned over, effectively knocking over her bowl onto the grass, and she leaned over Sesshomaru, her hands on the ground beside his legs so that she was on all four. Her eyes looked straight up into his amber ones, urgency rushing through her as she invaded his personal space. Their proximity was electric.

"We have to go." She pleaded, careful to not speak too loudly in case her dear friends were close enough to hear.

"To where do you wish to go?" A promise twinkled in his eyes, ready to take her to where ever she liked, and Kagome smiled at his response.

"Anywhere."

Losing her breath, Sesshomaru quickly lifted her into his arms bridal style, her mind reeling from the speed of which he had grabbed her. But that speed was nothing compared to how quickly they moved away from the vicinity. Shocked, Kagome eyes remained open as she clutched tightly to Sesshomaru's chest, her fingers laced around the spikes of his armor. Within seconds, the world flashed by her as they passed over the river into the dense forest, the village clearing gone behind the wall of trees that surrounded them, and then the river disappearing too at his turn as they journeyed through the forest of Inuyasha. The Wind pushed against her, the sound of its passing currents loud in her ears, and then it was gone, the journey ending as quickly as it began when Sesshomaru stopped at meadow which held the well she often went to. Unable to regain her bearings, her mind in a state of pleasant bewilderment, she continued to hold onto her demon lord anchor as Sesshomaru lowered her down to stand. All that she had seen and felt in a matter of seconds continued to replay within her disoriented mind while her fingers remained tight in their grip of his armor, the tip of her forehead placed against his chest to help stop the gratifying dizziness she was experiencing.

Sesshomaru peeked down at her, tilting his head to the side to see a portion of her face. Her eyes were pleasantly wide, and her cheeks burned bright red as her heart beated rapidly with excitement much like his own. With hooded eyes and a ghost of a smile, he reveled in the fact that she was left breathless. Her lack of breath burned to the tip of her ears, and with a devilish smirk, he leaned down so that his face was next to her, his lips grazing at the shell of her ear. Kagome's head swam, her eyes shutting at the enticing sensation as the softness of Sesshomaru's lips titillated her overly sensitive ears while he spoke.

"Breathe, priestess." He spoke softly and slowly.

Immediately, Kagome did as she was told, her lungs burning as the much-needed air poured into them, her face become flushed with relief that oxygen existed within her once again. Overwhelmed, she collapsed onto him, her body pressing against his for support. A deep, soft growl rumbled in Sesshomaru's chest and out of his lips, the sound of it washing over Kagome as she gnawed at her lip. Her mind was in a daze, not thinking, only reacting; reacting to his touch, to his voice, to his deep growl, and to the general sensation of being in his presence. Enjoying the sound she brought out of Sesshomaru, reacting to the yearning it built within her, she nuzzled against his chest, careful of his armor. Another growl, stronger this time, escaped from him, and she bit ferociously at her lip, breathing in deeply and taking in his scent. A mixture of earthy pine with an overtone of vanilla and lemon filled her senses, and she smiled; he smelled divine.

Sesshomaru struggled to maintain his grasp on what little strands of control he had left. That pull, that burning sun within his chest that he had snuffed out so easily earlier returned with a vengeance, invading and controlling him with wild desire. Since the moment he had whisked her into his arms, carrying her away as if they were eloping, it had been increasing inside him, taking more and more control of him with every passing second until it was driving him mad; she was driving him mad! The fight to keep his arms from wrapping themselves around the priestess in an affectionate embrace was more difficult than anything he had ever experienced, and he was losing that fight. She had collapsed onto him, holding onto the links of his armor for dear life, and the sensation of having her pressed against his chest caused him to growl an unknown, uncontrolled growl against her skin, his lips still pressed against the shell of her ear. When she nuzzled against him, his inner beast swaying to the warmth that was building in him that called for purely instinctual reactions, he growled that unknown growl once more, desire and affection mixed with the vibrations. He was losing his mind at the smallest of her touches. She doesn't know. He told himself, his control ebbing away. She doesn't know what she does to me. His skin tingled at the light touch of her fingers that trailed up and around his neck, embracing him as couples do, one hand continuing to delicately pet the nape of his neck. With each stroke, a strand of control slipped from his grasp until, finally, he could not withhold any longer, and he wrapped one arm around her lower back, pulling her closer to him, while his other hand captured her lower cheek, lifting her face up to look at him. She gasped at his touch, and he allowed himself to drown in her scent that overloaded his senses. He had already lost control to her, he might as well enjoy his fall.

Kagome was drowning too, falling into those amber eyes that looked at her so affectionately with desire. The demonic gold specks and streaks that detailed his eyes were so captivating, she felt she could stare into them forever, her heart filling with its own warmth, edging her to act on only what she felt. Kiss me. She pleaded in her mind, her mouth unable to move for its functions were lost to the delectable fog that clouded her mind. Kiss me, Sesshomaru. For a moment, she believed that he would, his face dipping closer to hers with his eyes focused on her immobile lips, but he stopped just before their lips could make contact, their breaths mixing with the other.

"Priestess." He whispered, his voice hoarse.

No, don't speak.

"Priestess, the half-breed is on his way here."

She gnawed at her lip, ignoring his words and only listening to the tone of his voice which enraptured and bewitched her. He continued to look at her, waiting for her mind to make connections with the words he just spoke, while at the same time wanting to claim those gnawed on lips for his own.

Half-breed. Her mind hummed. Half, half-breed… hmmm… Inuyasha, is on his way here? Inuyasha is coming here… Oh no! Inuyasha! She jolted, pushing herself away from Sesshomaru's grasp as she spun, her back facing him while her hands were placed at the side of her cherry red face.

"Tell me I didn't hear what I think you said."

"Based on your reaction, this one will say that you heard correctly." Control was in his grasp again, and he spoke normally. No, he spoke much colder than his usual tone. To Kagome, it sounded arctic, and she shivered at the sound of his voice which only moments ago had been completely hypnotic and mesmerizing. "The half-breed will be here soon."

Oh my gosh. Inuyasha. What was I thinking? Embracing Sesshomaru like that, almost kissing… Ugh! I'm such a horrible person! How could I have acted that way?! I'm no better than he was with Kikyo! And with Sesshomaru!... Sesshomaru… he almost… She whipped around to look at him again, her hands still placed on her cheeks while her heart was still beating rapidly from his touch. She hadn't imagined it; the way he held her; the way he looked at her; the way he growled enticingly at her. Had he wanted her the way she wanted him?

"What is it, priestess?" He snapped at her, halting her revelating gaze at him, and she flinched at his harshness.

"Sesshomaru…"

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha's voice echoed throughout the meadow as he leaped up into the air appearing from the canopy, sword drawn and ready for a fight. His blood flowed and coursed through him with a hot, burning tension that stimulated his muscles and poised him for an attack. Normally, he would have eagerly gone into a relentless blaze, swinging his sword without pause, as he so much wanted to do now. What he had seen had riled him to the point that he felt completely off balance with himself, wanting to fight yet so confused and filled self-doubt that he nearly tripped over himself as he landed. It wasn't his imagination; he knew it. Sesshomaru had kidnapped Kagome, whisking her away as he traveled over the river so Inuyasha would have a harder time tracking their scent. But he had found their scent, and here he was with Miroku's voice echoing in his head.

"Remember the value of your life before you go chasing after your brother Inuyasha!" he had told him while he used his staff to hold Inuyasha in a tight grip, preventing him from running stark crazy after the runaways.

"He just kidnapped Kagome, Miroku! You really expect me to just wait here and do nothing!"

"We do not know what the situation entails! Think about it! There is no reason why Sesshomaru would kidnap Kagome! It is more likely that she decided to go with him."

"No, you're crazy Miroku! Kagome would never go with that prick!"

"Are you so certain?" He had asked, finally releasing a calmer Inuyasha from his hold so they could talk face to face. "Think about it Inuyasha. Kagome willing decided not to eat with us so she could spend time with Lord Sesshomaru. Chances are that Kagome knew we were coming to spy on her and decided to go with him!"

"Are you saying she lied?!"

"What I am saying is that if you go after her with a misunderstanding of the situation, Lord Sesshomaru will not be your only opposition."

Denial pressed itself against the edges of his mind, pulsing against the back of his eyes and drowning out any and all sounds his dog style ears should have been able to hear. All that existed was the sound of his heartbeat, rapid and knobbly, and his thoughts; his shouting, painfully irregular thoughts that beckoned him to see what was before his eyes; his Kagome, unharmed and safe by the well, standing close to Sesshomaru with no fear or an urgency to get away. She hadn't been kidnapped, but he refused to accept this notion.

"I see you've finally arrived, little brother."

"Sesshomaru, you're going to pay for kidnapping Kagome. Now pull out your sword and fight, unless you'd rather accept your fate now."

"Inuyasha, stop! Sesshomaru didn't-"

"Shut it Kagome! You shouldn't be hanging out with this icicle prick anyways. In fact, you're not going to ever again!"

"Excuse me! You want to run that by me one more time with a little more decency?!"

"You heard me! You're not gonna be anywhere near him again so long as I can help it!"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome's mood was dark, her furious eyes peeking from behind her cascaded bangs while she clenched her teeth in a snarl, fists tight at her side. So much rage at his insolence, his downright brass audacity at treating her like a child, built in her like a swarming fire and a high wind hurricane, calling for destruction and carnage. Her shout was voiced like a growl, one that even Sesshomaru was impressed with as it forced Inuyasha into a deep, plummeting submission. "SIT!"

The earth vibrated with the force that he met it with, the reigns that pulled on him striving for more and more distance into the ground to meet the demand of the command; It was the hardest he had ever been subjugated.

"How dare you tell me who I can and can't hang out with it! I swear Inuyasha you are so unbelievable sometimes! I'm a big girl and I can choose my own friends!"

With a huff, Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, who lifted a brow at her. That meager muscle in her chest that had been suffocated morning, noon, and night for the longest that she could remember stirred to life again, drumming away where there was once only a void; Oh god she was blushing, and her stomach was twisted with tickled waves of stimulation vibrated throughout her abdomen. Stop. It's not real, it's just a fluke. What I'm feeling can't be real. Get a grip. Breathe- The word alone restimulated her ear that Sesshomaru had pressed his lips against, the memory of his warm breath tickling the shell of her ear and her neck coming to life. She was flustered. Think about something else. Think about Inuyasha… that's right… Inuyasha.

"Sesshomaru?" She spoke smooth and easy, her inner turmoil well hidden behind the mask she practiced so well with. "I think it's time you should go. Thank you so much for staying with me as long as you did."

"Hn. I will return in 3 days. Goodnight, Priestess." The cool air swirled away from him as he became airborne, a graceful flight up into the accepting sky.

"Goodnight," Kagome whispered, the recipient already high in the sky, a peaceful smile on her face. Secretly, she still yearned for him to stay; she had found a form a peace when she was around him that was absent in the essence of her normal life. A piece of her always missed his presence whenever he left, and she always chalked it up to the fact that he was so calm and in control that it allayed the chaos of her own life, giving her a brief moment of tranquility where she could finally get her feet beneath her. There was no denying now, however, that it was much more profound than that. She craved for him in a way she shouldn't have, to the point that she felt addicted, needing him like a fix now that he was gone. As the distance grew between them, the greater her need became, and she berated herself for feeling that way. It's a fluke She thought as she recalled how it felt to be held by him. You don't really feel that way. Nuzzling against his chest was a greater high than she had ever experienced in her life. You're just lonely. Remember you're with Inuyasha. His scent was still intoxicating her. He probably doesn't even like you. That was it; what her feeble mind needed to hear to come down from her sky-high flight and back to her sense of reality. The chances of that notion being true, in her mind, was staggeringly high and she began to doubt. That growl, for all she knew, could have been a warning for her to step back! That way he held her, with his hand cupping her cheek while the other held her in place against him could have been to prevent her from moving! For all she knew, he could have planned to snap her neck! No, no that was too far, and she was certain he would never harm her like that. But the facts remained. Sesshomaru hated humans, and he probably didn't like her, just as she, defiantly lying to herself, concluded that she did not like him that way either. Kagome decided to push the incident away, leaving it as nothing more than a possible daydream.

The earth fell from her as her heart lurched for how hurt Inuyasha appeared. He sat on his heels, hands pressed against the floor, while he looked at her with an angry expression. But despite the fact that this was the emotion he attempted to emulate, Kagome could easily see the hurt and confusion that was the layer beneath his thin mask.

"In-Inuyasha?" Kagome walked closer to him, and he flinched, choosing to look at the ground instead of her. She could no longer see his face.

"Kagome," he whispered sorrowfully. "Why did you leave with him?"

Her heart lurched, her guilt stuffing itself within the confines of her throat while her eyes burned as moisture pooled into them. This is what she had done to him by leaving with Sesshomaru, this pain that she had known so well for she had felt it all the times he had run off with Kikyo; the feeling of being slapped and then left behind, completely and utterly ignored by the one you trusted with your heart.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" She exclaimed, falling to embrace him in a tight hug. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I wasn't thinking." For all of her days, she had never wanted to make Inuyasha feel the way he did now, and the heaviness of her shame weighed against her conscious, regretting everything that had transpired. Never again. She thought to herself. Never again will I act like that with Sesshomaru. And she ignored the small bug bite of her subconscious advising her to rethink her vow, reminding her that she only felt that way now because of her guilt. It was impossible to deny that she was still looking forward to when he would return; three days. Yet stubbornness was driving her now, and she squashed her anticipation into unknown reaches as she held Inuyasha tighter; this was who she should focus on. This was the person she promised to remain beside, despite all the pain he made her feel.

"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha said forgivingly, yet, not surprisingly, refused to hug her back. They stood, not another word spoken, as Kagome took Inuyasha's hand into her own and walked back towards the village.

Hiding in the shadows of the bushes and trees, Miroku stood with a relaxing sigh, content with how everything turned out. Perhaps Inuyasha and Kagome still had a chance, despite all the negativity that surrounded them. Eager to get home and tell his beloved wife of what had occurred, Miroku walked towards the direction of his home. The path was clear, with trees arching above to provide a natural ceiling; the path for him was filled with memories of when he and Inuyasha had created it, tirelessly digging up dirt and clearing the area while throughout the duration of it all arguing over the fact that the wind scar would be too large and uncoordinated to create the path for them. That was a fine day, and it made Miroku happy that his friend who had helped him so was not completely at a loss with Kagome, though the fibers of their relationship were dwindling. Sango, he knew, would not be as delighted as him, believing that Kagome would be better off alone, but for now, he looked forward to the peaceful and normal days that laid ahead.

It was a cruel joke then, that at that moment of foresightful bliss, he became entirely, and hopelessly aware of the change in ambiance. One minute he felt the lightness of the night, and the next, he was bombarded with the venomous suffocation of a thick, ominous atmosphere that threatened to steal the life of his very flesh. He quaked, falling to the ground as he struggled not to hurl the food he had so recently eaten. Fingers clawed into the earth, filling with dirt as he fought to remain unflustered, despite the fact that every follicle on his skin was jutting with goosebumps. His spine tingled with freezing trembles, and waves of tight alarm and anxiety coursed through him repeatedly, coaxing his abdominal muscles to contract and force up his food which fell onto the trenched up dirt. The lining of his throat burned, wave after wave of bile spewing from his mouth as he struggled to catch a breath. He knew what was happening and what he was feeling regardless of the fact that it had never impacted him to such physically disabling point before; A demonic aura had cascaded itself across the forest of Inuyasha. Suddenly, as quickly as the tight and heavy aura had descended, it was lifted away.

Miroku stayed on the ground, finally catching his breath and wiping his mouth as he waited for the aura to return. But it never did. Unsteady and off balanced, he wobbled to a stand, relying on a nearby tree to help keep him upright. Frantically, he looked at every direction, fear curdling and building within him with every passing second as he searched for the demon who could have such a savage and mighty aura. He would run; the minute he saw who the aura belonged to he would run in the opposite direction and never look back; that aura was too terrifying to face. But no demons appeared for none were around.

Taking in the shallow and gray setting around him, which had been so vibrant with cool colors just moments before, Miroku hastily took off to his home, constantly looking behind him to make sure the formidable creature was still nowhere in sight.

~ • • ~

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Kagome... just... *face palm*. Whatever, I liked the scene anyway, but your back and forth thinking gave me whiplash while I was writing it. Thanks.

Sesshomaru! ... I cant tell you anything without fear of you cutting me down so i'll just say good job.

Inuyasha, you need to look more depressed! You and Miroku give me so little to work with!

Anyway, I hope yall enjoyed chapter 3, which was divided into two but is still considered one chapter...? I confuse myself.

Okay, okay! Now you've finished chapter 3! It's time to move on to chapter 4! Cause it's about to go down!


	5. Chapter 4: The Red Haired Devil

Sigh. This is perhaps the worst writing I've done so far. I was just soo tired every time I wrote this bit. Hopefully, it's not too bad. I know some segments are a little confusing when there are multi characters around the main one of this chapter, but that's because there is a reason I don't want you to know her name, other than the fact that I haven't thought of it yet. There is a reason, I swear!

I feel like the Tsueno part could have been better, but whatever. I wanted this chapter done so deal. I might edit later but chances are unlikely.

I hope, despite my laziness, that this still turns out to be a good chapter and you all enjoy it.

WARNING! -though it is not explicitly mentioned, there is some suggestion to rape. Now it is up to you to take that writing into that direction or not, cause like I said, it's not explicitly mentioned, but... yeah. What can I say? The main character is downright evil. Please do not take it into offense, I know it is not a subject people are comfortable with which is why I tried not to write too much on it to force that idea into the writing. I hope I was succesful in this endevor.

Alrighty then. Here is Chapter 4.

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Chapter 4: The Red Haired Devil

The echoes of the ocean waves crashing against the cliff side vibrated throughout the tunnels, mimicking the tempo of a dying heartbeat. This was her most favored home, where the hallways and corridors drummed with the sound similar to the rushing of blood within veins, the constant whoosh with a momentary drawback that brought the remembrance of salty, sweet red liquid passing through her full lips down her thirsty throat. Tantalizing and enticing, it made her crave for the delicacy. She could practically taste the blood.

The sound of her graceful steps could be heard across the well-furbished hallway; a high ceiling corridor with glistening chandeliers that hung above with golden fixtures that resembled dragon claws holding onto eternal light sources that lit her home with the same intensity as the sun. Light refracted from the crystal shards that adorned the chandeliers cascaded fluorescent rainbow tints onto the dark blue wall, giving strange highlights so that it appeared as though human-like figures were struggling to escape their confines from within the wall. A long, rich purple rug with gold and silver swirling patterns ran the course of the walkway upon marble tiled floors, and various statues of demons stood at attention at either side of the numerous, thorn designed doors and other similarly furnished corridors. The expansion of her home was like that of a castle with segregated wings that held all of her endless secrets. In addition to the expected quarters, grand halls, and kitchens were large spa like rooms that each held their own personal springs. Armories filled with deadly and unique weapons were always at the ready with dojo halls close by should her myriad of followers feel the need to exert energy in such a manner. Then there were the pits, one for each of her four wings, which clustered together at the center of her home, each filled with innumerable and insatiable demons always eager for another victim. Without question, the pits were her prized rooms.

Her servants were weary of her, careful to avoid eye contact while bowing low towards the ground the minute they would see her approaching to avoid being marked as a new toy, which she was always eager for. A toy, as she so willingly put it, was nothing more than a new victim to be subjugated to excruciating physical and mental torture for days on end; she would not stop until her toy was deemed to be a lifeless doll with an unfortunate pulse. Only then would she have them skinned, gutted, and drained alive, leaving their carcass as a snack for the demons within the pits while she drank victoriously from her cup filled with the victims blood. The servants, for fear of their lives, attempted with all their might, to appear as invisible as possible to avoid her enthusiastic glare. Yet they were compelled by the call of her exotic figure, which demanded attention, to greedily appraise her perfectly shaped body as she walked away.

The multi-shaded silver clothing made of silk did little to show any modesty, hugging at her body tightly while having little coverage. Light silver silk framed her lower breast, barely covering her most sensitive section while the top of her mounds showed graciously for all to see. The loose, flowing sleeves hugged off her biceps, a slit running down them so that her arms were exposed despite the sleeves. At her waist, the light silver curved around her hips, coming together at the apex of her pelvis, while long strips of light silver cloth fell around her towards the floor, flowing and swaying with every step she took so that her legs exposed themselves in an angelic manner while light silver glided in and out of view.

Dark silver ran down her abdomen, backless while the edge of her hips and waist peeked beyond the cloth. It was reflective and gleamed with the light that touched it, catching any stray eye within sight. It was bordered with light silver, accentuating her perfectly fit shape.

A chain followed the course of her abdomen above the dark silver, connected by the wing emblem at the center of the silver cloth that hugged her breast, down to the crest of a griffon at the apex of her pelvis. Connected to this chain were two parallel chains that ran perpendicular to it, tied off at her lower biceps.

The outfit was sensual, tantalizing, and, in its own way, toxic as it pulled out lustful thoughts from all bystanders. For these reasons, she loved it. They way it exposed herself in the most sexual manner while highlighting her flawless, moon-kissed skin and her scarlet red hair that descended around her like fire down towards the floor, was remarkable.

A servant remained low as she glided past them, her cool colored cosmic eyes which resembled nebulas staying focused on them with each step she took. Much to her disappointment, the young elk servant never looked up at her. What a boring little thing. So few of her servants were ever daring enough to look up at her and provide her with some fun. With a smirk, she concluded that it would be best to get some new, novice servants unaware of her… hobbies… very soon.

The atmosphere became colder as she trekked deeper into the vacant south wing, a place where a sole long hallway was adorned with a single door. Pale light from the few remaining chandeliers from above gave an eerie glow down the empty chamber. Cobwebs conquered the ceiling and had begun to migrate down to the lower levels, covering the shattered rocks that were once statues and the remnants of fallen chandeliers. The rug was dirty and gray, torn at all the edges and absent of any color. It was vacant, cold, and desolate, just as she desired for her permanent toy; a close imitation of an isolated island in the arctic circle.

No visitors ever came here, with herself and her preferred demon retainer as the exception, and even those visits were scarce. Her daughter was to be caged, only seen when she was needed. It was lucky for her that she was. For now, anyways.

The thorned door creaked open into a round room made of dark gray bricks. At the center was a small , nearly broken table made of pine which her daughter sat behind of on top of pillows that substituted for a bed. Her straight, bleached white hair was far too long, pooling around her feet even if she stood. At this moment, It fell around her in an unbearing manner, covering nearly her whole seated figure and the dusty pillows that were collected around her. Her lips were thin and pale, unlike her mother whose lips were full and always colored scarlet red to match her amazing hair. Where her mother's face was perfectly formed, her cheeks not too high nor too low and curved to accentuate the line of her jaw, she herself had childlike features with cheeks too large for her small face. Even their eyes were different, her mother's being like cool nebulas, while her cosmic eyes were warm colored, as though she had a collection of magenta stars within her iris. The only feature she was not envious of was the lilac outline around her mother's cat shaped eyes which curved from the outline of her nose up towards her eyes and out in the same direction of her lashes. This feature accentuated the closeness her mother had towards being a demon, and she never wanted to be seen as a demon.

"Amellis. I trust you have what I wanted."

Amellis squirmed at her mother's voice, the chains on her wrists and ankles shackling and her movements. Unable to escape, she rubbed the fabric of her desert sand colored kimono with cherry blossoms decor and an orange sash. Her father had given it to her when she was still very young, and it fit her too small, its coverage ending at halfway down her thigh. Her mother never bothered getting her clothes, and this was the last piece of comfort she had in her possession as a reminder of better days before her father had died.

"Amellis, look at me when I'm talking to you, slave!"

She looked up, her crooked bangs falling in front of her face as she stared at her mother. Of course her mother's bangs fell naturally along the side of her face, a single strand of lilac against scarlet falling down the left side of her face. Her mother was always so beautiful. With the light from outside the door still shining in, Amellis could see another demon like feature her mother held; her black, gazelle styled horns that sat on top of her head, polished to glimmering perfection. Power within her blood boiled at the sight, something which always occurred when anything demon liked stood before her, and she willed to calm down.

"Mother."

"Hmph. Well? Are you going to keep me waiting or are you going to give me what I want? Insubordinate child."

Quick to do as what was commanded, Amellis placed her hands in front of her at either side of a dragon clawed fixture on top of the pine table. She breathed in deeply, preparing for the pain she was about to feel within her eyes. The door slowly creaked to a close, and the room was cast into the vastness of darkness. A single moment passed, and then a faint aquamarine light began to fill the shadows. String like figments of light began to flow forth from Amellis's eyes into a sphere above the dragon claw. She held back a hiss of pain as her mind splintered, a deep sharp pain resonating down the length of her skull. Her eyes stung, and her vision blurred, making her dizzy and causing her stomach to churn. A cool liquid ran down her cheek, and she knew she had begun to bleed from her eyes.

The strings of light began to swirl around and around into a ball of faint light, each following the movement of the last until the last of them escaped from Amellis's eyes. She blinked, willing her vision back so she could finish in her delivery. Her mother was not impressed.

"Must you always take so long? Hurry it up!"

Amellis looked at her collections of souls. For weeks now her mother had been forcing her to use her special gift, the ability to reach beyond worlds, and collect the souls of priestess's; preferably strong souls that could be easily corrupted. Yet she was never able to find such a specimen; they were either too weak or too pure. She was certain now, however, that she had found one that could pass her mother's inspection while still falling into Amellis's regime as well.

The souls flowed blissfully and calmly except for one, which flowed harshly in jagged directions attacking any nearby souls that dared to get too close. It was a violent soul. Amellis pinched ragged soul in between her human-like fingers, and with some effort, plucked it out of the sphere. Extending her arms out beside her, the string glowed and expanded into the shape of a body. Through the transparent glow, the body took the form of the spirits owner, her body delicate and beautiful to look at while her long dark hair flowed down around her, her bangs restings just above her brows. Kikyo… Amellis mourned.

There was a loud growl. Immediately, Amellis shut her eyes, bracing for the assault that would come. Her face stung as she fell back, the resonating sound of her mother's yoki smacking against her still ringing in her skull.

"Damn useless child! Your insolence knows no bounds. I ask for Midoriko and you give me this garbage! I should hang you above the pits and drain you dry."

"I did find Midoriko, mother, but she was too pure. You would have never been able to corrupt her."

"You underestimate me, pest. In any case, what makes you think I would want this pest over Midoriko? She was such a good pawn last time."

"This soul is Kikyo."

"Names mean nothing to me, girl. Explain."

"She is the one who was reincarnated into the priestess from the future; the half-breeds former lover; the one who helped restore the jewel. She is powerful, mother, and corruptible."

Wicked humor twinkled in her mother's eyes. A wide, greedy smile pulled at her face as she laughed, slowly and softly at first, until she could hold back her humor no longer and laughed sinfully, her head thrown back as she took in the fortunate information. This was too good to be true.

"I don't believe it! How delicious this will be! To make another jewel from this girl's soul, and maybe her friends too! Ah, then I can take my sweet revenge on that wench that destroyed my precious jewel! Would that work Amellis? If I were to take both their souls into the new jewel, would that count as one soul, or two?"

"It would count as two. When a soul is reincarnated, it simply takes refuge within another soul, becoming intertwined with it until they are practically one. But should that soul ever be torn in two, with the former soul separating from the current one, much like her own did, then the souls become separate again, becoming two different entities as they were meant to be in the beginning."

"Blah, blah, blah. A simple yes or no would have sufficed. I care not for any lessons, so spare me."

"Okay. The answer is yes. They count as two."

Her mother glared. "Watch your tone girl. Or I'll send in Tsueno. I'm sure he is just dying to see you again."

She shivered, curling into herself under her mother's gaze and threat.

"Let's see now just how susceptible this girl can be."

With an immoral grin, she stretched out her arms, a dark shadow appearing behind her as her yoki collected and swirled. Within the swirling black, Amellis could the figures of all the tortured souls her mother had ever devoured, the moans and screams increasing in volume the more they took form. In an instant, her yoki flared out like snakes, slithering through the air and ground. Their attack was paired with the high pitch screams of the victims that were stretched out with the yoki. Quickly, they descended upon Kikyo, ensnaring her and curling around her naked body as she squirmed beneath their uncomfortable touches. The lines of yoki, swirling all around her, stilled and became sharp at the tip with multiple striations of blood-colored streaks pulsing from their lethal points. A brief moment of inactivity passed before the sharp lines became bristled with thorn-like features, and plunged into the transparent flesh.

Kikyo's back arched, a shriek of pain escaping her lips as small, light blue orbs of light began to break away from her at the points of impact. It was only now that she opened her eyes, the violating agony that she felt awakening her from her slumber. The could see the snake like thorns penetrating her body repeatedly, and she was certain her soul had found it's way to hell.

With each strike, dark yoki infiltrated her body, a black poison flowing out from each wound into her soul like dye falling into water. It turned dark so quickly.

"You might have actually done something right, Amellis." The red haired maiden smiled. "She seems very susceptible."

Controlling her yoki, she lifted Kikyo's spirit up and towards her, the priestess whimpering from her lacerations as she gently traveled through the air. Her hair trailed the ground as she remained limp, unable to move. Clawed hands captured her throat, the slender fingers turning black as they pierced Kikyo's neck while holding her upright. More poison entered her soul; she felt the burn of scalding fire, the agony of rotting flesh, and curdling cackle of dark aura seeping into her. No. She mourned. This I cannot withstand. I cannot endure this for eternity. I'd rather cease to exist.

"Oh,come now Kikyo. Don't pass out on me just yet. You're much stronger than that. Now look at me, girl. I have a gift for you."

Kikyo refused, shutting her eyes as tightly as she could. A jolt skewered through her body, originating from her neck down to her feet and up to the tip of her skull. The yoki stung like a snake bit, sharp and quick, with a lingering sense of inflammation and poison spreading about her body. She heard a growl that she never knew existed; Loud with rage and potency that it vibrated the walls and assaulted the barriers of the mind, invading and trespassing all thoughts. Like the thunder of a waterfall, and dangers of a typhoon, the growl was unignorable, and the voice of its owner was malicious.

"LOOK AT ME NOW, LITTLE PRIESTESS, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO SLOWLY CUT OFF YOUR LIDS WITH A DULL ROCK!"

She obeyed, her eyes immediately catching the gaze of fire colored cosmic eyes. Hypnotized, Kikyo fell into the trap as she relinquished all thoughts and immersed herself in the cosmic stare. She fell into the fire, believed that it surrounded her with no escape, and she was cast into a world that resembled hell.

The land was laid to waste. Flames burned at every direction with no one to defend against it. Bodies were laid on the floor in a chaotic manner, piled over each other while the bodies were covered with arrows and spears. A muffled gurgle caught her ear, and she looked down at a gruesome sight. A white haired half demon laid before her, holding onto his last breath as his intestines laid scattered all around him. Blood pooled around him, tainting her hair and darkening his red clothing. It dripped from his eyes and mouth, staining his motionless face. His eyes were hollow with near death, the light of his amber eyes absent to a dull honey. Tessaiga stood where his stomach should have been.

"K-Kikyo."

Her heart lurched, falling away from her senses as her chest concaved, the emptiness within her sucking everything of her into a void. Her throat was tight, unable to speak, while she stared at her beloved with wide eyes. She hadn't even noticed the tears that were falling down her face. The pulse of her heart was all she heard, and her body trembled. Over and over, his name rang in her mind while she felt her psyche being torn bit by bit until her legs could no longer hold the weight of what she felt, and she collapsed to the ground as though she had been shot. Landing in the pool of blood that belonged to Inuyasha, Kikyo laid next to him, streams of tears falling down her face while she placed a single hand on his cheek. He did not shift or move; a single blink was all she wished for. Some semblance that he was still with her. But there was no breath, and there was no life in those motionless eyes; He was gone. No…

She whelped once, the wall that had held back her pain breaking, and then she sobbed, curling into herself and waves of heartbreak and agony coursed through her over and over again like the violent fires around her, blistering her beneath her skin and sucking away all her oxygen.

"Inu- Inuyasha!" She howled with all the afflictions of her heart. And then she was back to where she once was; the cold, damp room with a faint blue light and a red haired devil.

Kikyo panted, fighting for breath and clumsily returning to her new reality. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. She repeated the mantra in her mind, but her tears continued to fall, much to the red haired devil's amusement. White fanged teeth peeked out of her serene smile, which was beautiful and calming, like that of a child. She was far too beautiful smiling for the evil thoughts that ran rampant through her mind to exist. It made Kikyo sick.

"Did you enjoy my little show? I picked it special for you." A clawed finger trailed Kikyo's cheek, pushing back a loose strand while piercing Kikyo's spirit. More blue orbs escaped Kikyo, and she began to feel dizzy, as though she would go unconscious any minute.

"Awe. Don't you worry, little Kikyo. It's just spirit trying to return where it belongs. But we don't want that now do we? I think it's time I give you my other gift. This one I'm sure you'll love. Tsueno!"

The wolverine demon stepped in, the eerie glow of the ruined hallway entering into the round room. He was handsome by all account, but Amellis knew the monster that lurked inside. He was physically impressive and was dressed in black with the outlines of his kimono and hakama a light tan color. His duo armor was a dark gray with a bronze, triangular breast plate attached as well. His sodes were dark gray as well with long tufts of tan fur falling around them. At his waist was a collection of skulls of demons he had killed, each connected to one another in the style of a belt. His skin was tan, and his ash-colored eyes were set high on his long face with black, arched eyebrows keeping his face in a constantly furious expression. His nose was long and wide, and his lips were set in a constant frown. A well-defined jawline brought out a great deal of his masculinity, and his shallow cheeks were set high. For his markings, thick black lines trailed down from the bridge of his nose down towards the edges of his chin, almost like the outline of an animal's muzzle. Thickly spiked cream colored bangs were pushed back behind his ears, which were slightly rounder than most demons, while black hair flared out like quills down his back. A staff, with long chains covered in metal spikes attached to its head, was harnessed to his back. It was a weapon Amellis knew all too well. When he looked at her, his gaze was hungry, and she slinked into herself, wanting to hide from his lustful glare.

"My queen." He spoke deep and provocatively, bowing low to her sensual being.

"Tsueno. Take care of Amellis, will you? She needs to be punished."

"But, mother-"

"I asked for Midoriko, simpleminded fool. Whether she was corruptible or not was my call to make. Now enjoy your time together. I'm sure you, my dear Tsueno, will have tons of fun." She smirked.

"But of course, your majesty."

"Good. I will be taking my leave now, with this little wench in hand. Be sure to rough up my slave good. I expect her to bleed profusely."

"As you command." He smiled, unleashing his staff from the harness on his back, the chains clanking and jingling together as they fell free.

Kikyo yelled as the red haired devil clasped and pulled her hair, gratefully releasing Kikyo's neck, before dragging her away by the hair that grew at the nape of her neck. It pulled at her skin, stinging at all her follicle points while her body scraped against the ground. The door closed behind them, but Amellis could still hear Kikyo's cries.

 _I'm sorry, Kikyo. Please hold on. If anyone could withstand my mother's torment, I know you could. With your help, I'm certain we can stop her._

"Amellis, cease your daydreaming. You will be wailing in pain by the time I'm done with you." The smack of the staff against his hands was too loud to her, for she knew the chains attached to it too well. She could not stop the tear that fell from her face, knowing she could not run or defend; the chains that held her would never let her go. With one lash, she felt the skin on her back rupture as the chains tore her to shreds, blood flying across the room. Her scream was deafening, and she wept into the floor, her torturer looming over her with a sickening smile on his face as he prepared to go down on her small and fragile body. With all her might, she shut down her mind, hoping to block out as much as she could of what was about to happen to her.

Kikyo squirmed beneath her grasp, and she laughed a victorious smile. Spirits were rarely able to move, so detached from the physical world that they were practically like dolls when forced into a human force. The fact that this priestess could writhe under her hold only proved just how powerful she was. The halls were loud with the echos of her scream, and it was like a melody to her pointy ears.

She reached the large doors to the grand pit, the largest of all her pits with the most demons inside located in the west wing, closest to her cathedral of a bedroom. Two tiger demons stood beside the thorny entrance, each of menacing character and harsh demeanor. The one to the left was dressed in cobalt blue and white striped kimono with armor dou chest plate colored silver with the design of a tiger's roaring face on it with kusazuri hanging from the hips in four plated strips. On his shoulders were sodes, also designed with faces of roaring tigers. His eyes were silver with black lining while his eyebrows were long and well arched. Running along his cheeks down towards his chin were black streaks like that of a tiger. His face was slender and attractive, the face of a man who could lie very well. His black hair with white stripes was pulled back in a ponytail, two black bang streaks framing his face. To his back was an ax. Sleek and sharp, and ready to cut down any opponent, it was of monstrous size with double fitted head blades reaching to either end of his shoulders. Made of reflective metal with various designs, it was as alluring as it was deadly.

The other was of a larger build, wearing a white Kimono with orange and gold stripes. His dou was plain, while a pauldron ran the course above his breastplate in the design of two running tigers coming towards each other, and did not cross over his shoulder. His kusazuri was in petal style, and each petal bore the expression of a calm tiger's face. His hair was shorter than his companion and bright orange with white tips, spiked upwards, giving a foot of extra height to the already tall demon. His jaw was wide and bristled with a shadow of a beard, and his lips were set in a stern line. His crystal blue eyes were small compared to the width of his face, and his eyebrows were short and round, resting at a constant downward direction. Running from his pointed ears to his lips were white strips, making his face that much more prominent. At his waist side was a large mallet the length of his forearm, a riddled with quill-like spikes the width of his hand. The material was unknown since its coating was covered with the stains of dried blood.

Both intimidating and frightful, they gladfully bowed low to their queen, who could destroy them with a wink of her eye.

"Zuniike. Gozaru."

They continued to bow, a low rumble in their chest signaling that they were grateful for her recognition of them. They paid no mind to the wailing spirit she dragged as she walked past them through the open doors and into the large room which held the pit. Demons squirmed and climbed over each other, a barrier keeping them in their confinements and they roared and wailed chaotically. A marbled walkway surrounded the pit, a silver throne with purple swirls set directly across the room from the open door. Large white statues of demons loomed over the walkway, looking down at the pit with large, savage smiles on their faces. Covering in splotches all across the impeccably bleached room were stains of blood, some dark with dryness, and others still vibrant red from a recent meal. She walked along the walkway, the shrills of the priestess masked beneath the roar of her demons. The spirit was beginning to become weak, her movement becoming weaker with every strife.

They reached the throne, a small marble table stood to the right of it with a golden cup adorned with images of flying griffons on top of a golden plate upon its flat surface. To the left was a set of chains neatly rolled up and attached to the floor. Behind the throne stood an empty crystal capsule attached to the wall, white thorns twisting and crossing over its clear surface.

Kikyo was lifted off the ground, her body limp as her energy was fading away; she barely registered the pain of her body being held up by the strands of her hair anymore.

"Awe, sweet Kikyo." The red haired devil hummed, running a clawed finger down her cheek again. "What a weak thing the spirit is, don't you agree? Unable to sustain itself without some form of a body to anchor it to this world. But I suppose you know that better than most. You struggled with a body of clay for so long."

Sinisterly, she brought her face closer to the weakening priestess's and licked at her vapor cheek; a series of small tingling shocks stimulating the tip of her tongue. Her breath was hot against Kikyo's ear.

"Lucky for you," she whispered, slinking an arm around Kikyo's waist and pulling her against her own body, "I have a very special gift for you. I'm going to give you a body Kikyo. A real one. Not one of ash and clay, but of flesh and bone, with a beating heart and warmth! I'm going to bring you back to life!"

She pulled tightly at Kikyo's hair, forcing her head up so that their lips grazed each other; In an instant, her mouth was upon her. It was a strange sensation, one that was difficult for Kikyo to understand. It wasn't the kiss itself that bewildered her, put the strange power that began to flow into her from their joined lips. A thousand little microscopic tugs were felt like her very flesh were being restitched into existence; she could feel the multiple pops of her cells coming to life, forming and connecting, creating her lips and then the skin of cheeks. She felt her solid teeth as she traced them with her new tongue. She felt the softness of her lashes as they rested on her cheeks, and the gentle brushes of her bangs against her forehead. The air was cold against her bare skin as it materialized inch by inch; To her senses, it was all happening too quickly, and yet not quickly enough. All of her nerves tingled to life, and she was overwhelmed with the awareness of what she was feeling; she was coming to life. By the time her toes were formed, her body complete just as it was before she died, she was uncomfortably mindful at how complete indecent she was. Finally, their lips parted, and Kikyo felt where her lungs expanded at the intake of air; it stung bitter-sweetly, and a single tear fell from her astonished face.

A happiness unlike anything she had ever felt overtook her, and she briefly forgot the horrid situation she had found herself in. The laughter was light and harmonious, contrary to the maniacal, evil laugh Kikyo expected to hear.

"Awe, you look so hopeful! How adorable! So sad for you, I just needed you to have an anchor to this world."

Dark claws entered into Kikyo's throat, cutting off her airway and sending shockwaves of pain. Her new body was suffocating underneath the grasp, and then she felt the tightened grip around her soul. With a forceful yank,her soul became uprooted and her body was torn away. The new fibers of her being which had been so magically etched onto her soul tore apart bit by unbearing bit; her soul rung with a violent tone of pain as she lost all breath and sense of body. She watched as her body fell away from her to the ground, motionless like a doll tossed aside. The red haired devil grazed her spirit's cheek once more.

"I have no doubt that that was certainly horrific for you. Though I must say, I quite enjoyed it. Now, sweet Kikyo, I'm going to make you suffer in ways you never imagined. Don't worry, though." She spoke in a whisper, bringing her lips back to Kikyo's ear. "As you know, I can be very generous. I'm going to take you to see your beloved Inuyasha soon. I won't tell you when, though. That will be up to how easily you break… and my discretion of course." She laughed her wickedly sweet laugh. With great strength, she threw the spirit, tossing it towards the pit. Kikyo, still discoherent from her return to spirit form, felt as though she was floating in the air, watching as her capture and her doll of a body fell out of view. And then she felt the scathing puncture of a demon's jaw taking hold of her side. Then another took a bite out of her leg, then one of her chest, and then neck. They ravaged her, their roars loud in Kikyo's ears as she heard the scream of a woman in torment; herself.

Her wailing reached the red haired devil's ears, and she smiled victoriously. Lifting the lifeless body, she placed it into the capsule, her body melting into the crystal holding until she was perfectly placed. With a skip in her step, she glided towards her throned and sat, taking the golden cup into her hand to drink the delicious red blood that filled it.

A satisfied smile came across her face as she watched her entertainment of Kikyo being eaten, ravaged and violated by the demons; whatever they wanted to do to her, they did. Her thoughts trailed to her bet whom she was doing this for, the large beast which slumbered beneath the earth waiting for the power source that would awaken it and allow it to roam the surface. The Shikon jewel was to be its source of energy, yet the first time she had attempted to create it, she had been too anxious and impatient. When that blasted priestess, Midoriko, played right into her hands and had relinquished her soul taking all souls of the demons that surrounded her as well, the demons which she had sent to force Midoriko to do such a thing, the jewel came out too pure. That priestess had too much purity in her that the jewel was poison to her pet. She had hoped that, with time, the jewel would become black with corruption and capable of giving her pet the power it needed. The half-breed, Naraku, was so close to achieving this goal, and it made her violent with rage when she discovered that that time traveling priestess had destroyed it! And that hard work and for nothing! Well, not this time! This time, she would make sure that all the souls that entered into the jewel were black with no purity whatsoever! Priestess souls may be needed to create the jewel, but there wasn't a rule that they had to be a pure priestess, and she already had her targets in mind. She wouldn't rush this time. Her pet would come to life with this new jewel she intended to create.

With a promise, she extended her arms and poured out her yoki, sending down into the depths of the earth where she knew her beloved pet laid resting. The earth rumbled with a response, and for a moment, the world was shrouded with the enormity of her pet's powerful jaki. The air became dense, a gray shadow sucked up any color, and a sense of dread was felt all around. Even the demons in the pit stilled in their fun, intimidated by the jaki that had suddenly descended upon the earth. And then it was gone, her pet instantly falling back into its slumber.

The demons attacked Kikyo with new vigor, taking her in new, more violent ways, which made her happy, but there was still an emptiness within her for her pet that could not be awoken. She could no longer enjoy her entertainment as she was before, and even the cries of Kikyo as she called out Inuyasha's name did little to lift her spirits.

"Stupid girl," she spoke monotonously. "Inuyasha doesn't even know you're alive yet."

* * *

See, the red haired devil has a heart, it's just for only this giant demon thing in the ground we have no idea about.

Now it's time for definition clear up!

Tsueno- Noriyuki cane (also hand cane- aka staff)

Gozaru- Barbarian Crushing Weapon of War (oh yeah, now that's a cool name)

Zuniiki- Cursed Rust Colored Pool (awesome)

Jaki- a demon's aura

Yoki- the physical manifestation of a demon's energy, often used with a tool such as tessaiga. (red haired devil doesn't need a weapon, though, because she is scary beyond understanding.)

Names I got from a Kanji site that lets you pick characters with a specific definition so, depending on how it's spelled, can mean something completely different but these are the definitions I got.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, next chapter will hopefully be out in two weeks.

Happy 4th of July everyone!


	6. Chapter 5: The Past

I know... I've been a bad writer... I haven't kept up with the updates... I'm sorry... PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!

What can I say? Life guys. Life got in the way, I'm sorry!

I will let you know that there was actually suppose to be another chapter uploaded today, but sorry to all those who would prefer the un-edited version, I decided to get rid of it. Honestly, it just felt unnecessary and useless, but here is a summary in case you were curious. Basically, it was an add-on into this chapter that would have taken place right before the "decision" was proclaimed, where Sango and Kagome were going to go bathe so that Kagome could tell Sango everything that had happened between her and Sesshomaru the night before, with Sango giving her two cents as well as some additional info on demons. It was unnecessary because I plan on touching those points again later on anyway, so there was no need for it. There was also a cute moment between Kagome and Inuyasha... Now that I feel like I NEED for the sake of the story, so I will integrate it into the next chapter because, yikes. The next chapter is a big one guys. (i'm already working on it in case you can't tell).

Also, I can't remember if I told yall that Kikyo would be in this chapter or not... but she's not. Sorry guys! Next one she will be though.

One last thing before we get started! (drum roll please...) YOUR GIFT IS HERE! For all you wonderful readers, I have provided a hand drawn fan-fic illustration made by me as the cover! I hope yall like it! I'm thinking about making more fan art that goes along with this story but I haven't decided, and if I do, i'm pretty sure that would mean that I need to make a Deviant art page... I don't know. If enough people say I should than i Probably will.

Alright! Lets get this ball on the roll! I hope yall enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 5: The Past and a Decided Separation

Streams of sunlight poured in through the bamboo curtain door, casting amber streaks onto the wooden floor and onto the inhabitants sleeping mats. Dawn was at its rise, and Kaede had risen with it, rolling up her mat to put away while remaining as quiet as she could to not wake the slumbering Kagome. Today would be a day full of stress for the girl and her companions who would be tasked with determining the appropriate course of action in response to the daunting demonic aura which seemed to have draped the whole village last night with no demon in sight before suddenly disappearing. So she wanted to let Kagome rest and let her enjoy the last bit of peace she would have in the prospective future. The name which she called out, however, unsettled Kaede, and given the tone in which it was spoken Kagome was not having a nightmare. She spoke Lord Sesshomaru's name with drowsy admiration and was content with her dream of him.

Kaede stepped out into the cool morning, a draft of fresh air flowing into the hut and causing Kagome to snuggled deeper into the confines of her mat with a half worded sigh.

"Sessho…" and then she returned to her deep sleep and mumbles.

Kagome slept soundly, her dream being a recollection of a memory almost forgotten. Visions and images played out before her mind's eye, replaying the events of a day shortly after her return when all the fantasies and marveled infatuations of her and Inuyasha's relationship had begun to rot with its malodorous smell stirring the third large fight amongst the couple since their short reunion. Her senses were alive in her vivid dream, and the sting from the pounding rain radiating across her body that swayed with the pushing wind was as real as any rain storm.

** _FLASHBACK**_

Thunder shouted loudly at the stupid girl who hand wandered too far into the dense forest, losing her way home without any bread crumbs to follow. Drowned out by the drumming of the rain and the crackles of thunder echoing across the sky, the calls from her dried, hoarse voice were left unheard and unanswered. Feeble arms held up across her face did little against the racing raindrops that slapped her in all directions while the swirling currents of rushing wind threatened to push her down onto the muddy ground. With heavy steps weighed down by her waterlogged school shoes, her feet carried in a zigzag motion as she fought against the forceful wind to stay upright.

The path that would have led her home was hidden beneath the inches of murky rain on the ground, and she stumbled through the gray veil of the rain where only a foot of visibility was given. With no bearings of where she was, she continued forward, forcing her shaking limbs that ached to the bone from the suffused cold to do as she commanded while at the same time stifling the heavy cough that brewed in her moistened lungs. Without a doubt, this venture would be repaid with the consequences of a cold.

With bitter indignation, she cursed Inuyasha's name, placing full blame of her current predicament solely on him. His selfish and discourteous remarks towards her were what drove her out to the well in the first place! He was the spark that led her to where she was now, caught in the storm on her way back from the well and unable to find her way back to the village. She was not foolish enough to believe he would come after her; not immediately. He would dwell in the warmth of the hut, letting the others argue against him while he would profess how this was exactly what she deserved. By the time he would relent to the will of her friends, her scent would be too difficult to find, and she would be left on her own just as she was now.

Cold air rushed into her lungs, and Kagome shivered once more mid walk. Oddly enough the cold suited her fine this time as it eased the bubbling throb that rose from her stomach to her shoulders; she felt so alone, so abandoned, and the sting from the cold rain help to hold back her own droplets of tears. With her face turning bright red from the rains assault, Kagome shut her eyes as she pushed forward through the storm and the sorrow that grew within her.

She kept her arms high in defense against the many bullet-like droplets, only to have her forearm shields used against her when she rammed her whole being into a hard surface.

"Ow!" She exclaimed, rubbing her hand against her throbbing nose. "Way to go Kagome, you ran yourself into a stupid tree. I should really watch where-"

She took a step back. With wide, unblinking eyes she gawked at the surprising figure before her that she had just run into. Soaked, white clothing latched onto his figure, outlining the shape of his body. The usually soft fur of his boa was doused and matted down with frequent drops of water falling from its fur tips. Silver hair danced gracefully with the wild and erratic wind while stray wet strands from his bangs hugged the frame of his face. Even in a storm, his demeanor was calm yet powerful as he stood there with no inclination to pay the falling water any attention; he reacted as though he were standing out in the middle of a dry, sunny day. As always, he bore the expression of a scowl, and given the circumstances, Kagome fancied that he looked remarkably similar to a wet dog getting ready to shake off the water that drenched him. It was an image that stirred a giggle from Kagome the type of which she could not contain.

"Running into me amuses you, priestess?" He spoke with aggression.

"Haha, Sorry. I didn't mean to. Really. I thought you were a tree."

The sound of his growl could still be heard over the rain, and Kagome subconsciously bit her lip, chastising herself for not thinking before speaking. She took a step closer to him, relieved at the subtle protection his towering form gave her against most of the rain.

"What are doing out here, Sesshomaru." Kagome asked while lifting one arm up in defense to any stray droplets that had managed to pass her human-demon- shield. "I'd figure you would have gone home before the rain hit."

"Would you have preferred I left you to wander in circles?"

With a huff she pouted, her lower lip jutting out in annoyance to his crude answering-a-question-with-a-question response. As soon as she did, however, the rough pressure of air she had withheld in her lungs came out in a sputter of coughs with a few sneezes in the mix. She had gotten a cold.

Sesshomaru observed the priestess as she regained her composure and suffered shivering tremors. He almost barked at her for the skimpy outfit she wore, a high brow irritation burning behind his scolding eyes. Drenched and transparent, her white top clung to her figure like an extra layer of skin, revealing the curves of her body beneath. Laced, white fabric cupped and covered her bosom, a peculiarly alluring article of clothing that he was unfamiliar with that intensified her already fine physique. Her skirt which he always thought of being too short, swirled relentlessly with the channels of the blustering wind, revealing much of her upper thigh and providing peeks to a matching laced under piece that paired with the strange fabric at her chest. Visually exposed like a naked form before the Demon Lord, Sesshomaru shut his eyes and irately groaned his frustration. Unwillingly, he began to remove his duo armor and kimono.

Kagome continued to shiver, her eyes shut while she clasped at her arms in an attempt to halt her incessant trembling. She could feel the build up of another cough within her chest, as well as the fog of sickness that fell upon her mind. Amidst her internal grumblings of her growing cold, she felt the gentle draping of fabric falling onto her head and covering her face from the rain. Kagome peeked out from underneath the kimono that covered her, gazing at Sesshomaru who had just clasped his armor back on over his han juban. He refused to look at her, but his annoyance was clearly marked on his face.

"Sessho-"

"Put it on priestess. Your clothing is ill suited for this weather."

Kagome looked at herself through squinted eyes, seeking refuge beneath the kimono while the storm swirled around her. She was soaked with her bra clearly visible beneath her transparent shirt and her skirt flashing hints at her underwear. Blood rushed to her face, a deep blush coloring her cheeks before she quickly maneuvered the kimono around herself. It was specially tailored for ease of fighting that Sesshomaru frequently participated in, so it was shorter than normal Kimonos. Even so, it was long compared to Kagome's short skirt, the length of the Kimono reaching to her knees. It too was wet, but warmth from Sesshomaru's body still radiated from it, and its fabric was thicker than Kagome's school outfit. She felt much better in this against the storm.

"Thanks, Sess-"

"You will return my clothing when we reach the village. Do you understand, priestess?"

"Uh… Yeah. Okay." _You don't have to be such a jerk. Didn't even let me say thank you._

Sesshomaru walked away, and Kagome was immediately ransacked by the rain that had been held back by the demon's body.

"Gah…" Kagome whelped, the sting of the rain hitting her at full force, causing her to lift her arms up in defense. Just as before, she strode forward with her eyes closed before crashing once more into Sesshomaru's chest, afflicting her nose with pain again. "Owww…"

"How dense are you, priestess? It was my understanding that holy women were wise."

"Grrr." Kagome slammed her foot down with a slosh, anger building inside her. "Don't give me that! Excuse me if I can't make my way in this storm, but how else am I supposed to find my way to the village unless I try?!

Sesshomaru raised a brow. This woman was completely oblivious.

"What? What is it?"

"This Sesshomaru does not walk in the rain willingly priestess. If it is a guide you seek, then I suggest you follow me."

Again he took stride, leaving a dumbfounded priestess behind to defend herself against the rain. It was but a short moment for the momentary shock to subside to the need to escape from the rain, and Kagome ran towards her savior, favoring his right side where there was slight coverage from the rain. She was slower than he was, and she struggled to keep pace with him until, much to her surprise, he slowed his gait to match hers. It astonished her, and though she greatly wished to express her gratitude with a subtle "thank you", they remained silent in the rain. There was no other word to describe how she thought of the scenario other than perplexing; it was as though he had come out here solely to find her. Curiosity ebbed at her boggled mind, unable to comprehend the demon's actions, and unable to hold it back any longer, she broke the silence.

"Sesshomaru? Can I ask you something?"

Amber eyes caught her gaze, and she took it as a sign to continue.

"Why did you come out here? I mean, I doubt you came just to find me-"

"I did."

"W-what? You did?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Rin asked it of me."

"Oh, Rin did. That makes sense." _Way more sense than him coming to find me out of his own volition anyways._

The pitter patter of the rain eventually begin to lighten, the storm easing into a drizzle though Kagome stayed firm to Sesshomaru's side. There was no doubt that he disapproved of her clinging action but other than a scowl with a brief growl, he made no effort to push the priestess who grasped at his arm away.

Carrying on like a blind child, Kagome ducked her head beneath the borrowed silver Kimono so it dressed her like a hoodie while at the same time keeping her head down low so she had little visibility of where she was walking. Thinking of Sesshomaru as her seeing-eye-dog, she wanted to snicker but held back her laugh for fear of the demon's retaliation; she was already crossing the line as it was.

Either way, Kagome was content beneath the kimono's shelter, which maintained her body's warmth beneath its folds. It was rather marvelous, and Kagome's gratitude towards Sesshomaru increased. Gradually, the ground became more even, and she presumed that they were reaching the outskirts of the village. All too abruptly, Sesshomaru halted in stride and Kagome scarcely avoided running into him again. Beneath her shelter, Kagome peeked out, viewing the layout out of the village before them. The closest hut to them was lit with light smoke escaping from its roof opening; it was Kaede's home, warmed with a fire inside. With glee and earnestness, she jumped exuberantly and made to give chase towards her new home excited for its promise of shelter. But before she could take off into her sprint, she was pulled back with such force that she nearly fell had that hand not kept her up.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Kagome shouted at Sesshomaru, one hand holding onto her while the other was held in front of her, palm up.

"You're obliviousness is outstanding, priestess. Return what is mine."

"Huh?" She mumbled, her mind stumbling to catch up what belonged to him before realizing she still had his Kimono draped over her. "Oh. Right. Eheh. Sorry."

In an effort to keep the warmth as long as she could, Kagome slowly removed the Kimono before the drizzling rain hit at her back, and she placed the clothing into his hand. In a speed faster than she had expected, Sesshomaru quickly had his kimono back on. _Talk about supernatural speed._ Immediately, Kagome heard the call of her name from a familiar voice that shouted loudly with a quick dash out of the hut. Inuyasha ran towards Kagome, his outrage growing with every step.

"Kagome!"

"Inuyasha?"

"Kagome you idiot!" Inuyasha shouted once he stood before Kagome. "Where the hell do you get off-"

"Kagome!" "Kagome!" "Lady Kagome!" Multiple voices shouted out from the hut as everyone ran out. Sango came running out first with Shippo and Rin behind her, each of them with a look of relief on their faces.

"Hey, guys-"

"Hey! Don't interrupt me! Where the hell were you! You did that on purpose, didn't you?! Getting yourself stuck out here in the rain just for some attention and to make me worry about you, huh?!"

"If you were so worried about me, why didn't you come look for me…?" Kagome mumbled, a skeptical look on her face as she dismissed his rant with a glare. Startled by the coldness in her tone, Inuyasha took a step back, one of his eyebrows twitching while he struggled to come up with a response.

"W-well…"

"Kagome, you're back! We were so worried!"

"Kagome!" Shippo jumped into her arms. "I was so scared you had gotten lost once the storm hit."

"Well, it's funny that you mention that."

"Lady Kagome! You've returned! Oh! Lord Sesshomaru! You have returned as well!" Rin exclaimed embracing her Lord with a hug. "Thank you so much for finding Lady Kagome, my Lord! I knew you would find her!"

"Er… what is Rin talking about Kagome?" Sango asked.

"Hehe. Um… Well… Sesshomaru came and found me after I did get lost."

"You're joking? Geez, are you really so stupid that you couldn't find your way back to the village on your own-"

"SIT!"

"Oomph."

Though a comedic scene, Kagome's sudden coughing generated concern from the surrounding audience, with Sango as the first to vocal her worry.

"Kagome, are you sick? We should get you inside before you get worse."

"Kah, Kah…. yeah okay." Everyone walked before her, and she followed stopping after only a few short steps when she realized certain someone's had not followed. She turned around, witnessing Rin saying goodbye to Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru?" She called as she walked back to them.

"Hn?"

"What's going on? Are you not coming too?"

Disgusted, he scowled. "Don't be ridiculous."

"You're kidding! You can't be seriously thinking about heading out in this kind of weather!"

"Weather does not impede me, priestess."

"Oh trust me, I know. The great and powerful demon can withstand all! You know, you'd think you could be grateful for once! I'm inviting you to stick out the storm with us!"

"What?!" Inuyasha shouted. "Kagome, what are you thinking! How could you possibly think about letting this icicle prick stay with us-"

"SIT!"

"Oomph." Inuyasha crashed with a splash.

"You'd think he'd get that I'm angry at him…" Kagome mumbled before the wind quickly picked up, shoving against the priestess and making her lose balance. Mentally, she prepared herself to feel the smack of the muddy ground she was falling towards, but thankfully a clawed reached out towards her and steadied her. She half expected that Inuyasha had caught her, as inconceivable as that was, and yet it was a magenta striped arm that held her up, his long demon claws barely grazing her skin.

Her nerves came alight, a tingle coursing up her arm from where she was held causing her to shiver as she looked up towards her savior; whether she felt the thrill of a cold chill or the scalding of an ember based fire, she could not tell. Peering into his emotionless, freezing eyes, she was leaning towards the former, yet the heat at her cheeks protested against her belief.

"Thank-"

"Your invitation is unwanted."

 _What! Why you interrupting, self-presumptuous, demeaning jerk!_ Kagome's mind fumed, chanting various insults and insinuations at the dog demon. "Grrr."

"Did you just growl at me, priestess?" His grip tightened around her arm.

 _You threatening, arrogant…_ "Yes, I did! And I'll do it again! You and your attitude are coming in whether you like to or not!"

"You do not command this one!" He growled, taking a step forward to accentuate his position while also pulling at Kagome's arm causing her to step closer as well to ease the discomfort his force was inflicting, but she did not flinch.

"Then stop acting like a stubborn outside dog!"

A venomous growl escaped his snarled mouth, and those eyes that were known for their impassibility and empty expressions were lined with a dangerous red tint. Sounding just like the thunder that clashed in the sky, his growl resembled more of a bark from a dog ready to attack. Anger driven, he paid no mind to the fact that he had shortened their proximity so that their bangs meshed together and their breaths lingered on each other's cheeks. His only thought was to bring about her submission through fear.

Kagome trembled, the tingle that radiated from her forearm increasing to electric sparks that flowed to every nerve ending in her body though his grip on her arm remained light. _I won't back down_ she thought to herself as if the sparks were evoked by fear though she felt no fear herself. She became uncomfortably aware of how close they were together, but instead of backing away, she prompted a glare of her own to combat the reddened eyes that looked at her as if she were something to maul to pieces. With stubbornness at either end, they would have remained like that throughout the storms bout had it not been for one subtle distraction.

A slight cough caught the duo's attentions, and they peeked down at the small Rin who had been the owner of the little expulsion of air. Though she continued to beam as a merry child, seemingly laughing at the two of them for their bickering, it was nonetheless prudent on their minds that she would catch a cold if she stayed a single bit longer. It was at that moment that a spark of manipulative ingenuity was lit within Kagome's mind, and a plan to ensure her win in the bicker was unveiled.

"Rin." She spoke sweetly, hiding her mischevious thoughts well. "Lord Sesshomaru is going to stay with us while the rain passes. Isn't that exciting?"

"He is?!" Rin gleamed, irrevocable hope and excitement twinkling in her eyes at the prospect of her lord staying with them. "Yay!" She shouted endlessly as she danced and twirled in the rain.

Knowing that she had won, for Sesshomaru would never claim responsibility of crushing the young girl's spirit, Kagome gloated her victory with one raised brow. He appeared indifferent, but he could not hide the still visible red lining of his eyes that called for vengeance; it made her victory that much sweeter. With a wink, she gloated her success, and he scowled in response.

"Well, Sesshomaru?" She coaxed. "Shall we go in?"

"This one will stay. But I refuse to enter a human's hut."

"What?! How come?!"

"I have lowered myself to withstand this village as it is! I will not subject myself to dwell in the repugnant pigpens you call a home."

"Why you…." She growled. "So what?! You're gonna stay out here in the rain the whole time?! What's the point in that-"

Again, Rin's gentle coughs caught their attention, and although she continued to twirl around as if it were nothing, it generated worry from them both. _Rin will catch a cold if she stays out here. And knowing her, she won't go in so long as Sesshomaru stays outside. Oh, that's it!_

"Hey, Sesshomaru. You know, now that you're staying, Rin is going to stay by you no matter what."

"Get to the point priestess."

"She should get inside soon. If she stays out here, she'll catch a cold and get sick. But she won't go in- Gah!" A gust of wind swirled around her, her hair and clothing flailing with its current. When it passed and she searched around, she spotted the quick, silver figure that was Sesshomaru dashing into Kaede's hut with Rin in his arm. "Heh. Well, what do you know? It worked. Alright, everybody, let's go in! I think I'm catching a cold myself."

"Alright." Shippo and Sango called out, with Shippo jumping into Kagome's arms.

"Hey, wait a second Kagome! Where do you get off inviting my prick of a brother to stay with us-"

"Sit!"

"Oomph!"

"Kagome, I'm rather curious about that as well. Are you certain it's alright for him to stay?"

"Oh, it'll be fine Sango. Besides, at the very least he'll behave better than Inuyasha."

"I heard that!"

The hut was warmed by a fire that blazed at the center. Although the human scents that lingered in the air were overbearing, Sesshomaru had no choice but to admit that this was considerably better than standing out in the rain. It also sat well with him that even though his entrance was a complete surprise to the old woman and the monk and his children, other than a look of shock they gave him, they left him peacefully alone. At one point, the young twins toyed with the idea of conversing with him, but their father quickly diminished any form of those thoughts. Rin sat near the fire, hands stretched out forward as she enjoyed the heat and spoke to the old woman. The priestess and the remainder of her friends walked in shortly after with the slayer leading the way and Inuyasha falling in late as last. The women greeted the old woman and the monk cheerfully, while Inuyasha took the corner farthest away from where Sesshomaru sat. All did well to leave Sesshomaru alone, minus the priestess who gave him a passing glance and a victorious smile, to which he scowled at.

Endless rampages of savage contemplations on how to lambaste the priestess in a suitable manner for her contriving nature flooded his imagination as he watched her move about the hut. Along with the slayer and his young ward following her, she moved to the back of the hut where the slayer produced two towels and they sat in a linear fashion with the slayer at one end and Rin at the other, with the priestess in the center. In the midst of his wild thoughts, he briefly allowed attention to a curious conception of what those three were performing. He watched silently as the three giggled and laughed without reservations as they began to dry each others hair, and like a single droplet falling into a dark, abysmal pond, an uncomfortable realization hushed his other coursing thoughts as it rippled through out his mind in echoes; this was the only action of drying themselves that they were confined to, for if they were alone, with no men around, they would have no quarrel of changing into dry clothing. But since there were men here, he included, they could not; this only meant that they were subjecting themselves to higher chances of receiving a sickness to which Rin already seemed susceptible to; and he was a part of that problem. His fangs gritted against each other; it was not his place to be in this hut, nor did he want to be here.

Yet as he readied himself to leave without so much as a goodbye, he caught the gaze of the priestess who had turned to look at him while she dried Rin's hair. For a moment they simply gazed at each other, and as his blood boiled to scowl at her once more, he witnessed her smile. It caught him by surprise, for unlike her smiles before; there was no gloating under message; she was claiming victory, nor boasting at the outcome; In her smile, he found sincerity. He should not have cared, for what did it matter to him whether her smile was one of genuine welcome and kindness? Yet it was so obtuse from what he expected from her that it graced him like the warmth of the fire, calming and tranquil. How could it be that from that single action, she managed to lift the heaviness that he had been feeling since he had arrived at the village that day? Suddenly, he felt as calm on the inside as he falsely expressed on the outside. It did not even bother him when Inuyasha began to chase the little fox kit around the hut, both of them keeping a wide berth from Sesshomaru. Her smile, which radiated sweetly with kindness and acceptance, had given him a sense of serenity despite the situation he found himself in. It was unexpected, to say the least, the way she managed to instill ataraxia while he was around her.

 _***FLASHBACK ENDED***_

Kagome found herself waking up midday with streams of light pouring in through the slightly opened window onto her face. Outside, she could hear the mumblings of her friends who were most likely waiting for her to wake up; she was surprised that Inuyasha hadn't barged in yet to force her up.

Unwilling to relinquish the dream she had had, Kagome curled into herself, grasping at the fine strings of memory that still remained. That day had been of importance to her, since it was the first day that Sesshomaru had said goodbye to her before leaving, and it marked the beginning of him also greeting her when arriving at the village during his visits, something he had not bothered with before and had caused trouble for her amongst the villagers. She didn't know what could have caused the change, only that that day was responsible for it; she was certain of that.

Why she had dreamt of that day, she could not comprehend. Was it because, after the kindness he had shown her yesterday, her mind drifted to recalling the first time he had ever shown her kindness? Was it because he had yet again rescued her from her emotional turmoil that was Inuyasha. In any case, the logical portion of her mind scolded her for having Sesshomaru as the first thing on her mind when she woke up, especially after yesterday's strange events. Just thinking about it made her heart flutter.

Shaking her head she curled deepening into the mat, covering her face with it so that she was embraced by the comfort of darkness. But the captured warmth began to rise with heat within the confines and became too great; her skin began to dew with sweat, an uncomfortable prickling sensation stretching from her fingertips, down her back, and ending her toes scratched at the skin as her pores opened until finally met with the cool moisture her body produced. Overwhelmed and unable to delve back into sleep, she burst out from her coverage with a gasp, gulping in fresh cool air. Surrendering to the fact that her resting time was over, Kagome sluggishly reorganized her things, clearing away her mat and preparing herself for the day.

She took her time, settling on wearing her school uniform for the day and then combing through her long hair. She moved from a habit, a picture of normalcy, but even now she thought of Sesshomaru and battled with herself. _Just three more days until he's back. Ugh, no I shouldn't be counting! Get a hold of yourself girl!_ Slipping on her shoes, she vowed to stop thinking about him for the rest of the day, though immediately after, even more thoughts of him intruded her mind.

Inuyasha sat cross-legged on top of the fence outside Kaede's hut, Sango and Miroku accompanying him.

"So Kirara was just sitting outside your door this morning, huh?" Inuyasha queried while staring off into space.

"Yes, that's right, with a note from Sango's brother, Kohaku."

"Apparently, Kirara was acting very strange and restless last night. He thought maybe she just missed and so he sent her off." Sango added.

"Do you think it has anything to do with that demonic aura we felt last night?"

"It's hard to say, though it doesn't seem she's improved since arriving here. She's been growling nonstop and refuses to transform into her smaller form. She's completely on edge.

"Agreed. It wouldn't make any sense that Kirara would come for that reason. If it was, then that would mean that the aura was large enough to have been felt from here all the way to the slayer's village, since that is where Kohaku is staying. That amount of distance makes it incomprehensible for the aura to have been the reason why Kirara is acting so strange. And even if it were possible, that doesn't explain why she hasn't calmed down. It's not like the aura is lingering around; it disappeared as quickly as it came."

"Yeah, I get it, Miroku. But as always you gotta go and over explain it, trying to make yourself sound all intelligent and whatnot."

"I only sound intelligent because I am."

"Yeah, whatever."

"What about you, Inuyasha?" Sango interjected. "You're not acting like your normal self either. Something on your mind?"

"Sango is right. Your acting much calmer than usual."

"I wouldn't say acting calm is in any way _usual_ for Inuyasha."

"Ya know, sometimes the things you say really rub the wrong way Sango."

"Oh really? You've been acting so calm I hadn't noticed." She jested, causing Inuyasha to ball up a fist and growl with one eyebrow twitching above his closed eyes.

"Well, Inuyasha? Are you going to tell us what is the matter?" Miroku asked.

For a moment, Inuyasha went silent. Worried eyes became half lidded while his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he recalled what had caught his attention last night. Like chains, it had latched onto his mind, gripping and holding his thoughts while infesting them with various versions of their own conclusions. He contemplated over it, twisting it around in his mind while he formulated the right words.

"It's Kagome."

"What about, Kagome?" They asked simultaneously.

"Last night, when I went to get her back from Sesshomaru, something was off about her."

"What do you mean, Inuyasha?" Miroku prompted.

"Well… how do I put it? She was acting… like she felt guilty. And what's even worse… Sesshomaru's scent was all over her. Like they had been hugging, or something."

"Really? you don't say." Miroku asked, over excited about the news. Sango, who took the news with only a bit of shock, asked calmly, "Does that bother you Inuyasha?

"What? Well of course it does, Sango!" How could it not!"

"I'm only asking because, if it did bother you, I'd imagine that you'd be throwing a storm, not acting as calm as you are."

"Yeah, well I'm a complex guy alright. So don't try to go analyzing me."

"Fine, whatever you say."

Inuyasha puffed. He didn't want to talk about this anymore, so the silenced that followed was fine with him. With his own thoughts, he repeated to himself that he was bothered with what had caught his attention last night, and truthfully he was. In fact, catching his brother's scent on Kagome had hurt him deeply, and it had placed a thorn in his heart that slowly oozed with grief. But that was all he felt. He did not feel the transition to anger that often came from his emotional pain; he did not feel the need for justification. Rather he settled with the pain he had gained, and was willingly letting it pass; he imagined this would be how it would feel like to break up with Kagome. With a deep inhale, eyes serenely shut, he vowed that he would spend every minute today by Kagome's side, not only to ease the loneliness she must be feeling to have found comfort in Sesshomaru's presence but to silence the gloomy thoughts in his mind that egged at him to leave her.

Opening his eyes, a new level of calmness ensnared him, and he could his body almost go numb with it.

Shippo joined the group before long before Kagome, and received many teasing comments from Miroku and Sango when it was discovered that he had spent the whole night marching outside of Rin's door repeating his mantra "I gotta keep it together" as if he were her bodyguard against whatever would have appeared possessing that amazing aura. Inuyasha remained silent.

A while later, Kagome appeared from Kaede's hut, clearly lost in thought as she almost tripped over her own feet. While the others joked at her clumsiness, her laughing along with them, Inuyasha pinned his ears back. _What could be on her mind to make her so airheaded already?_

"So I guess I'm the last one to join huh?"

"You slept in, as usual, Kagome." Shippo chimed.

"In any case," Miroku said, taking charge, "now that everyone is here, we should get right down to business."

"Right!... And what business is that again?"

"Kagome, are you sure you're awake?" Shippo said, hopping onto Inuyasha shoulder. "Its completely obvious! Tell her Inuyasha."

Vacant and with little emotion, Inuyasha didn't bother with explanations and to avoid participating in a long, drawn out conversation, voiced concisely; "Well, when are we leaving?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Leaving where?"

"Now hold on Inuyasha. We should at least discuss this before jumping into action. Sango and I have not decided whether we want to go or not."

"What's there to discuss! We all felt that large aura last night! Of course, we're going to go, so might as well skip all the useless chatter!"

"It's not useless to us!" Sango shouted sternly, her back becoming rigid as she stiffened, catching the attention of all her friends. "It may be no big deal for you or Kagome to leave, but Miroku and I have our children! Aimi, Airi, and Isas! We can't just abandon them to go on some noble quest again! We've already done our part in protecting the world against Naraku. It's time someone else does it because I refuse to leave my children."

"I agree with Sango. After everything, we went through with Naraku… I won't chance leaving my children as orphans after all we've accomplished."

"Keh. Bunch of cowards."

"Inuyasha!" Shippo was appalled. "How could you say such a horrible thing!"

"Shippo is right Inuyasha. They have a very legit reason why they don't want to leave."

"And what, I guess you think ignoring it will just make the threat go away, huh? What makes you think anyone other than us would be able to even handle that demon? If people like that existed, then they would have been alongside us during the fight with Naraku, wouldn't they? And say this demon or whatever does start to wreck havoc and ends up attacking the village, where your children sleep. Will you fight then, or will you just run away like cowards? In the end, I'd have enough of a hard time sleeping just knowing that something like that could be roaming around destroying things, and I wasn't doing anything to stop it."

"Inuyasha… Sit boy!"

"Oomph!"

"Honestly, try to be sensitive from time to time. This is obviously not an easy decision for them… and as if you'd ever be so noble..."

"Grr." Inuyasha plopped up from the ground, face covered in dirt. "I'm just saying what they know is right but don't want to face!"

"Enough Inuyasha!" Sango cried out, her face turning red from rage. "You don't understand-"

"Are mommy and doggy fighting again?"

"Doggy always does something to make mommy mad."

With cheerful smiles on their face, the twins road on the transformed Kirara's back, who also had young Isas hanging in a swaddled by her jaw. Though her eyes were still frantically wide, she carried the children calmly, putting much attention towards their safety.

"Kids, what are you doing here? Didn't your father and I tell you to stay at the house where Kirara could guard you? We still don't know if it's safe yet."

"We got bored."

"Super bored."

"And kitty wanted to take walk-walk."

"That's why kitty is so big, see?"

As Sango reached for her son, taking him into her arms, no one noticed Kirara's ears twitch and her gaze shift to a certain point in the sky. With each syllable spoken between the children and their parents, Kirara's fur began to rise, prickling around her neck as a low growl developed from her throat. It was Kagome who noticed Kirara's strange behavior escalating.

"Kirara?" She asked stepping forward towards the demon cat, and it was at that startling moment that Kirara suddenly jerked, twisting around so that her body was in a forward fighting stance against that point that she had been so fixated with, and nearly dropping the kids.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted while she quickly took the twins off her back. "What has gotten into you?" Though her shout was one filled with anger, Sango was genuinely worried for her feline friend. Disposing her children into Miroku's arms, who laughed as though the situation was simply a game, Sango stroked a hand through Kirara's hair, attempting to calm her. "Kirara…"

Kagome stood beside them, equally as worried as Sango. She studied the demon cat, whose body was rigid while a constant growl escaped her snarled lips. Fierce and ready for battle, but there was no one to battle. Attempting to deduce what was bothering Kirara so, Kagome followed her gaze which was fixed at the sky just a few feet above them, and yet nothing was there.

"Kirara? What's wrong girl?" She inquired, but only growls were returned.

"Keh. Hey Sango, I think your cat is broken."

"Inuyasha, this is no time to be picking fun."

"Pah, whatever. Just leave her alone. Whatever issues Kirara's got, she clearly doesn't want to share. She can work through it on her own anyways. Come on Kagome, we got to get ready if we're going to leave anytime soon."

"Huh? Already?"

"Yeah already. Ain't no point in waiting now is there. Besides," Inuyasha said, facing Miroku, "you two have already made it clear you're not going, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, then I guess we won't have to wait on ya'll. Be sure to hold down the fort once we leave. Come Kagome! I'm eager to get a move on."

"Er… Okay." Kagome moved away from Kirara, a look of worry on her face that mirrored Sango. Before leaving to follow Inuyasha to the fields, she placed a hand on Sango's shoulder. "I'm sure Kirara will be fine." She spoke sweetly, and after receiving a reassuring nod from Sango, trotted off towards Inuyasha's direction.

As she followed the trail, she heard the awed voices of the twins crying out to their parents:

"You're not going?"

"But you're heroes!"

It was an equally loud groan of their parents that brought a smile to Kagome's face as she giggled lightly.

* * *

That's it guys! How was it?

Some of yall are saying "Wow that flash back was great", while others are saying "What was the point in it?". There is a point guys, trust me.

Definition time!

Isas: Worthy

Aimi: Beautiful Love

Airi: Love, Affection with Jasmine/pearl

Alright, well I hope yall enjoyed! Favorites-Follows-and-Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks!


	7. Chapter 6: Kikyo's Alive

Hellllloooo readers!

We have an upload that didn't take me more than a month to load! YAY!

Okay! But here's the thing guys, as for the past few weeks, I have been feeling like this-

"Oh my God, I am the worse writer in the world! I will never achieve my dream of becoming an author and even my fanfictions are garbage, and I am garbage, screw me even mentioning about my original stories because I'm just going to die an utter failure, etc, etc."

Now I get, I'm being harsh on myself, but I feel the need to apologize to ya'll about the piece of crap uploads I do, and I sincerely hope that despite the fact that my writing is nowhere near where i wish it to be, that ya'll still enjoy the story. I can tell you that ya'll reviews definitely cheer me up ( sometimes i even get giddy over them like a little school girl who curls up her knees in a chair while kicking her feet screaming "eeeek!" at some of the reviews i read). I'm just having a really hard time enjoying my writing at the moment, so while i will try to do another 'speedy' update (which in my case is still a few weeks) just know it might take longer this time around.

Anyway, here is the next chapter, and as promised, Kikyo is in this one. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6: Kikyo's Alive

Perhaps one of the greatest things she enjoyed about doing her work was the green tint that gradually stained her fingertips. There was something about having a literal green thumb when all her life she had had the opposite that made her feel close to a semblance of growing. Sometimes, just to make the green tint more vibrant, she would take a leaf from an herb and squish it between her thumb and forefinger, rubbing it back and forth until the color was extracted like paint. Picking herbs was something she normally enjoyed; the calm and quite work that doubled with solidarity and peace. Today was not one of those days.

Enough was enough! At first, it was sweet, but now it was getting to be too much! Maybe if he would have at least helped, it wouldn't have been so irksome, but right now, all he was doing was annoying her! There was no silence or calm, or any peace at all! While Kagome toiled away picking the herbs they would need for their trip, he just sat on the rock complaining that she was taking too much time and that they didn't need so many herbs. Inuyasha was being a pest.

"How much longer are you going to be Kagome?" He spat, a few pieces of the apple he was eating flying out of his mouth towards her. With a glare, Kagome flicked off the few pieces that had gotten stuck to her cheek; _That's the third time he's done that._

"I've already told you, I'll be finished when i'm finished."

"Yeah, we'll would you mind speeding it up. We could've left the village by now and nabbed that random demon."

"You've got to be joking! You're out of your mind if you think we'd leave today, or tomorrow, or even the day after!"

"Huh?! And why the hell not!"

"Well first of all, we have no idea where to go! Second of all, what on earth makes you think we can even take on that demon, especially without Sango and Miroku around to help?!"

"Ha, well that's easy!" He animately said, leaning forward with excitement as he pulled the still sheathed tessaiga out in front of him. "Just let me get one swing at 'em! Tessaiga and I will blow him to bits, no questions asked! There's no demon alive that can withstand my blade!"

"... You're insane." Kagome sighed monotonically, causing Inuyasha to lean back with his arms up defensively as if to guard the pride her words threatened to attack. A moment of silence passed between the two, and as Kagome returned to her work, Inuyasha leaned back to lay on the semi-flat rock he sat on, arms resting at the back of his head. "You know, it'd be nice if you'd help, instead of just sitting there rushing me."

"Keh. As if. It's not like i'm going to need any herbs during our trip. Just hurry it up will ya? I'm getting bored of this place"

 _Why that little… I knew the only reason he's so eager to go is so that he could fight! Trying to act like a valiant guy in front of Miroku was just an act! All he cares about is fighting someone who could actually force him to use the full strength of his tessaiga! Getting bored of this place- pah!- He's so full of himself._

"Yeah, you might not need them, but there is no way i'm going without some of these healing herbs! If you're not going to help, then why not go to old man Gesai and ask him for some dried meat to take? It'll be going in your stomach too after all." She mumbled the last sentence.

No immediate response came from Inuyasha as he contemplated her question, which elicited a sigh from Kagome, who assumed his silence was an indication of his ignorance at her request.

"Nah!" He immediately blurted out, relaxing further into his laid position as he shifted his shoulders slightly to increase his comfort. He had decided that he was going to stay at her side after all, and her sigh only cemented his determination to an elevated level; he had not thought the situation all the way through. "You can get it later. I'm fine right here."

"So you're not going to help me at all then?! You're just going to sit there while I get everything ready?"

"I'm the one that's already ready to go! You were the one who decided to all this 'preparing' nonsense." He mocked her.

"Ugh! If you're not going to help me, then why hang around here?! Why not just go and sit in a tree all day like you were yesterday!"

"Cause you got pissed off at me yesterday because of that!"

"Oh yeah, well you bothering me is pissing me off today!"

"Keh, why am I not surprised? There's just no winning with you is there Kagome? No matter what I do, you're just going to be pissed. Well too bad, because I've already decided I'm not leaving your side for one second today!"

"Ugh, you are so Infuriating! Can't you see your just making this worse!"

Inuyasha sat up, stubbornness expressed on his serious face while he continued to shout at her childishly. "You're the one who's infuriating, stupid! I'm trying to make up for me being a jerk to you yesterday, so there's no reason for you to go biting my head off! "

Taken aback by his declaration, Kagome became silent as she processed what she had heard. It was remarkable for multiple reasons, ranging from Inuyasha admitting he had been a jerk yesterday, to him then attempting to make it up to her; his annoying presence was brought about by a kind gesture. It was a realization that was as perplexing as it was surprising.

"W-why?" Kagome muttered without a concise thought as to what she was referring to; a question without a prose that spilled from her instinctively.

"Why what?" Inuyasha grunted, asking the million dollar question.

"Just… Why?"

"Gah… I… I felt bad, okay? Happy now."

"Inuyasha…"

They sat in silence, Kagome ogling at Inuyasha with admiration and gratitude, while Inuyasha sat crossed legged with his face set in a gorilla expression turned away. Now understanding the origin of why he was sticking around her like glue today, all the annoyance and bitterness that she had been perceiving suddenly vanished, as though they had been lifted and carried away by the cool, flowing winds. Ashamed of how she had reacted to his form of a kind gesture, Kagome bowed her head low, a sickly feeling brewing in her stomach as she became utterly upset with herself.

"I'm sorry." She said with a murmur, barely audible even to herself.

She felt the gust of wind at his quick approach as his toes became visible within her line of sight beyond the coverage of her bangs. Without looking up she knew how he was positioned, crouched down towards her as he sat on his ankles with his hand firmly placed on his bent knees. Based on the sound of his voice, she knew he was concerned.

"What's wrong?! You're not gonna cry are ya?! Please don't cry, you ai'nt got nothing to be sorry about!"

"No, I'm not going to cry." Kagome whispered, shaking her head slowly.

"If you're not going to cry then why do you look so glum?!"

"Because now I feel bad for yelling at you."

A few long minutes passed, neither saying a word nor moving. It seemed to be something they often did when speaking to each other about something of importance, like an impasse that neither knew how to approach, or whether they even wanted to approach it. Kagome breathed in the silence filled with enormous void of nothingness that surrounded her, an essence born from the impasse that stretched before her like a canyon. There was nothing more to do than to move on, leaving the canyon unexplored and left behind like so many others that her and Inuyasha had avoided before, and her breath was her preparing for that.

But as she steadied herself to move away and continue with her work, the unexpected hand of Inuyasha encased one of her hands within his his own. It startled her, and suddenly the depth of the canyon was before her, and they were instantly making their way down it.

"Don't." It was all he said, but that word was so impactful and filled with such understanding, Kagome had to look up to make sure it was actually Inuyasha who was speaking to her. Looking into his honey eyes, Kagome could feel the large canyon that seemed too large to pass shrink until it was nothing more than a small crack. A crack that instantaneously vanished as Inuyasha unexpectedly placed his lips gingerly against hers. It was a quick, chaste kiss, and one that took a moment for Kagome's mind to register; It wasn't as though Inuyasha kissed her often.

"I'll go get the dried up meat." Inuyasha said without resistance, and walked away quickly, but not before Kagome could glanced at the blush that formed on his cheeks. She sat there for some time, watching him walk away as he mind returned to normalcy. Maybe they would be okay. Inuyasha had just taken a step that she had never witnessed him take before, and if she were willing to do the same, maybe their relationship could grow like she had always wanted to. _Sesshomaru…_ The deep recesses of her mind called out, the hidden part of her that craved for a new romance rather than one that was still suspected to be a failure. She quickly ignored those thoughts, and refocused on what Inuyasha had done, her fingers subconsciously reaching to her lips. He had shown her affection that she had not expected, and though their kisses were bitter-sweet for her, since they never met the expectations her friends description of a kiss had placed in her mind, she was still touched emotionally.

True, she never felt the tingling of fireworks as they sparked from her toes and then shot up to unexplained heights like her friend Yuka said, and she never felt the release of a thousand butterflies finally being set free from her stomach causing her abdomen to tighten as they fluttered up her spine like her friend Eri explained, nor did she ever felt the gentle mixture of her and inuyasha's soul becoming intertwined with each other where their lips met like her ever romantic friend, Ayumi, exclaimed, but a kiss from Inuyasha was a kiss. Kagome simply resigned herself to the fact that maybe she was just the kind of person who wasn't met to feel those magical things. So those few, sparse moments where Inuyasha graced her with a kiss were bitter-sweet, but she would never allow that to diminish the meaning behind the kiss she was given. Inuyasha wanted to try and make their relationship work.

~ • • ~

The bright sun was beginning its descent, calling forth the end of another day as its rays penetrated thick, autumn clouds, creating a vibrant scarlet red hue across the sky, and though it was a beautiful sight, it enticed many to think of it like the color of freshly spilled blood.

Still, much to everyone's surprise, the day had gone without a single incident or commotion. There was no sighting of any demons, or any demonic aura cascading itself across the village, and more importantly, no one, not even Sango or Kagome, had become involved in an all out, excessively loud bout with Inuyasha. Finally, there had been one day of complete peace for the villagers, and the unison sigh of relief from the villagers could be heard by everyone in the vicinity. This made Inuyasha's ear twitch.

"Keh. The jerks. They act like we're just a nuisance to them."

"Well maybe we are. It's not like we're exactly the calmest people in the world."

"As if! The should be bowing down and thanking us for protecting them from any demons all this time!"

"That'll be the day."

The duo had, remarkably, managed to go about their day without entering into a single argument after the brief affection that was shared between them earlier. Though it was through great effort from Kagome's part that they had done so. Either way, they had completed more than she had expected they would, and was now confident that they had sufficient food and supplies to last them for a good while once they started their journey. In fact, she dared to say that they were now ready to leave in the morning. All that was left was to figure out where exactly they were going to go.

This was something that bothered Inuyasha, who was disappointed that there was no sign from the unknown demon to tell him which way they needed to go. And since there was no clear direction, he was stubbornly settling with leaving on whims and guessed conclusion; he just wanted to get out and go already. It was a conversation the two decided to hold off until tomorrow since it was evident that they would not be agreeing today. Thus all that was left to do was to join with the others for dinner at Kaede's hut, where they would most likely discuss the journey ahead. A journey Kagome and Inuyasha would most likely trec alone.

As they came up the hill, following the path that led to Kaede's house, the still transformed demon cat, Kirara, as well as the remainder of their friends came into view. A jolt of worry spasmed through Kagome, and without thought, her feet carried her at a quick pace, leaving Inuyasha behind; she was so certain that Kirara would have calmed down by now, and the fact that she hadn't greatly troubled Kagome.

Coming closer to the group, Kagome became increasingly aware of the loud snarls that escaped Kirara, whose fur rose and descended with each long durated growl. Kirara had not moved from where they had left her, and she continued to stare at the fixed point in the sky that had caught her attention earlier. It was clear she was far beyond her limit, her tired legs shaking beneath her while deep circles had formed beneath her eyes; Kirara was exhausted, but she refused to transform back to her smaller form.

"Sango!" Kagome called out to her friend, who stood beside Kirara, stroking her fur attempting to calm her, but to no avail.

"Hmm… Oh. Hello, Kagome." Sango responded with barely a glance towards Kagome, the majority of her attention fixated on Kirara.

Exhausted by the she reached them, Kagome placed her hands o her knees and panted for air. It was at this time that the young twins decided to clutch onto Kagome's legs, their little heads barely reaching the top of her calfs.

"Aunty Kagome!" They both chimed simultaneously. Aimi stared up at Kagome cheerfully, mouth fallen open in a casual smile, while patches of mud covered her 'cheeks and her pink kimono which was covered in yellow, jointed fan design and had a rose colored sash. Airi kept her face down, so Kagome was unable to see her, and unlike her sister, her mint-green kimono with forest-green, jointed fan designs and same rose colored sash was spotless. Airi was worried, as was obvious, since she did not mimic her sister's cheerful attitude as she normally did, and the fact that she was without a spec of dirt on her meant that she had been so worried that she didn't even play with her sister. It was only during the rare times like these, that the differences between the two twins could be seen; these high strung and stressful times.

"Airi, sweety. What's wrong?" Kagome spoke softly. With a sniffle, Airi replied.

"Is big kitty be okay?"

"Aimi already told you! Big kitty be fine!" Aimi chimed, exaggerating exasperation as she flailed her arms up with a large sigh while also exaggerating every vowel with her mouth. If Kagome wasn't as worried as Airi, she would have found it cute.

"Sango?" Kagome asked, peeking up at her friend from her still bent position. From where she was, Kagome could see that Sango was just as exhausted as Kirara, creases of sad circles formed underneath her eyes. Sango didn't turn to look at her, and the only response Kagome received was the very slow, very short shake of Sango's head; Sango looked close to tears.

"What's going on here?" Inuyasha, who had finally arrived, asked, his voice close to a shout. Indifferent to the scenario playing around him, he kept his arms crossed and his eyes shut.

"It seems we have been unable to help Kirara. Despite all that we've done to try to calm her down, she has not responded. If anything, i'm worried she might have gotten worse."

As if on cue, Kirara release a low growl, a break in the long snarls she had been creating. Kagome couldn't help but notice how wet Kirara's lower jaw had become, a clear indication to what Miroku had said. Kirara had gotten worse.

"Keh. Hey Sango, you sure she doesn't have any rabies or something?"

"Gah!" Sango nearly cursed, her dull eyes becoming fiery with rage as whipped around to view Inuyasha; this was no time to play with her. "Shut up Inuyasha! You think is some kind of game?!"

"Hey, I'm just saying it might make sense, ya know."

"Oh, that's it!"

As Sango trekked towards the frightened Inuyasha who knew he was in for the beating of his life time, Kagome pushed the two young twin gently away to go to their father so that she could stand next to Kirara just as Sango had. Shippo, who hadn't said a thing, jumped onto Kagome's shoulder, his silence reflecting his own worry. He was heavier now, but Kagome didn't mind, knowing he just wanted to check on her friend just as she did. She ran her fingers through Kirara's tensed fur and could feel the vibrations of Kirara's snarls through her fingertips.

 _Kirara, I wish you could tell_ _was wrong. What has got you so tensed up that you would stay like this all day?_

Once more, Kagome followed Kirara's gaze to a fixed point in the sky; all she saw was red clouds that fell over more red clouds and so on. She would have liked to just stare at it in awe and admiration had Kirara not been acting as strange as she was. Attempting to understand why Kirara was so fixated on that point, Kagome continued to stare at the sky as well, hoping something would reveal itself. Around her, she could hear the pleas and fake apologies of Inuyasha, Sango's endless threats, the laughter of the kids and Miroku's calming voice suggesting for peace amongst comrades. Yet nothing came from the sky. Minutes passed, and Kagome was about ready to give up, a sigh ready to be released, until she felt shaking tremors from Shippo vibrating on her shoulder. With fear, he stuttered.

"K-Kagome? Wh-What is that?" He pointed to the same point that Kirara had been focused on.

At first, Kagome didn't see anything, and then it was there; In an instant she felt the accumulated fear that she had felt throughout the time that Naraku existed fall upon her. Cold dread sunk inside her, her chest feeling frozen from the inside out as her breath stilled and her legs became numb. Watery eyes gave way to blurry vision, and her body shook uncontrollably. Miasma had suddenly appeared, escaping slowly from the fixed point in the sky that Kirara had been so fixated on, as if there were a tear in the atmosphere which it leaked out of. It was a sight that shouted of long forgotten nightmares, and it made Kagome violently ill with fear. _No… No way… It can't be… Naraku…_

Instantly, Kirara let out a loud, vibrating roar, the kind of which that send tremors down the spine of all that are near. Without hesitation, she pulled her lips back to reveal her sharp teeth and readied herself to lunge as soon the creature revealed itself. The group was finally aware of the danger Kirara had been sensing all along, their attention focused on the ever growing miasma. As the swirls of miasma spreaded, forming its own, dark purple cloud just a few feet above from where they stood, everyone that could lunged into fighting position; Inuyasha released tessaiga, the blade ringing with power as it waited to strike; the always prepared Sango released hiraikotsu from its place on her back, and scarcely muttered how she wished she had worn her demon slayer attire today; Miroku pulled out sutras, and although it had no special power anymore, out of habit he grabbed the beads around his right hand as if he still was cursed with the wind tunnel; Even Shippo stood at attention, jumping forward in front of Kagome and Kirara with his arms held out wide with a leaf in each hand. Only Kagome stood petrified, feeling utterly useless without her bow and arrow in sight.

 _I… I have nothing to fight with…_ she mentally admitted, her arms shaking with fear as every cell in her body pleaded for her to run. _No… I can't run…. Even if I don't have anything to fight with, I can't abandon the others…_ Still, heart raced inside her chest, each beat echoing in her ears as the seconds dragged on, waiting to see the figure that would appear from the clouds. _If it's… Naraku…_ She couldn't complete the thought. It was too unbelievable. Suddenly, she heard the frightened whimpers of the twins who hid behind their father, and without pause, she shouted:

"Aimi! Airi! Go to Kaede and your brother now! Get out of here!"

But it was too late. At the exact moment Kagome said those words, a heavy sense of jaki fell around them, covering the whole land, it's weight so heavy that it was difficult to breath. With already weakened legs, Kagome felt she would collapse any minute under the weight of the jaki, and she couldn't help but mark how similar this jaki felt from the one from last night. Unwillingly, her mind retreated to thoughts of death, and it was with great force that she forced this thoughts into silence and looked up to see the being before them. She had expected Naraku, for who else could have jaki so foul, but the being who was floating above them, was anything but.

Appearing out from the swirling miasma that curved around itself to form an oval cloud was a demoness whose beauty was unlike anything she had ever seen. Rich red hair fell around her like a flame, accentuating the beauty of her pale, flawless skin. Her body was one to be envied, and her face undeniably perfect, with luscious lips and cool, cosmic eyes surrounded by lilac markings. Even her horns were awe inspiring. And held by the neck at her side, was the naked, beaten and bruised Kikyo, whose body was covered with lacerations and wounds that bleed endlessly.

Then, the demoness smiled.

* * *

*smacks my head on keyboard*- even dshgiastiu sounds better than that ending but i'm in a rut guys, i'm sorry!

As mentioned, I will try to upload soon because we have reached that part of the story where things start to get intense, but I currently hate writing so we will see.

Please Favorite-follow-and-review, all of which are greatly appreciated.

untill next time!

Gesai: Meat butcher


	8. Chapter 7: Inuyasha's Break

Hello everyone!For once, I'm happy.

For once, I'm happy. This chapter is shorter than the rest but I enjoy how it came it out. If anyone has any suggestions on how to better my writing, I would greatly appreciate it!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, and i will attempt to update soon again (im aiming for within 2 weeks- fingers crossed!)

I don't own anything, except for OC's, and the only one shown in this chapter gives me goose bumps. ':D

Alrighty! Here we go!

* * *

Chapter 7: Inuyasha's Break

Stifled breaths bordered suffocation as the group withheld from breathing, the angelic laughter from the unknown demoness filling the air in a melodious rhythm. The gentle waves of her voice was like a fairy or a cherub, and it was difficult to believe that such a harmonious sound could originate from such a fear-inflicting demoness, whose black claws were currently piercing the surprisingly alive Kikyo's neck. And her hold was so effortless, a single arm wrapped around Kikyo's shoulders similar to a one-sided hug, only the hand had snaked around to capture the receiver in a deadly hold. Smeared blood coated Kikyo's neck, a few trails flowing down the demonesses arm, and its existence seared the sights of the surrounding bystanders. Born of the flames that encompassed her hair, breathed into existence by the swirling smoke of miasma, she was as much of an enchantress as she was a beast; a monster who was gradually suffocating the squirming Kikyo while appearing as enchanting as the bloody sky.

Though their minds shouted and screamed for action, the members of the group remained where they were, the trembling of their bodies rendering them immobile, or perhaps it was the slow inhalation of the miasma that lightly fogged around them that paralyzed their weakening bodies. Either way, eternities of internal conflict passed within those few seconds of immobility, each one of them struggling to comprehend what their eyes saw before them.

 _What-What on earth is going on? Who is this woman? And is that really Kikyo? It couldn't be…_ Kagome's mind whelped for answers, the confusion she felt reaching unventured levels as she watched the unknown demonesses cosmic eyes languidly studying each silent member until finally landing on her.

In that moment, as Kagome peered into the demonic eyes that watched her, the demonesses eyes widened with intensity, her irises turning dark like coal with blood lust as a squelch of increased torture echoed in the air and thundered in Kagome's ears; the demonesses claws had dug deeper into Kikyo, a few splatters of blood falling away. It was the immediate gurgled yelp that was forced out of Kikyo's restricted throat, whose eyes closed tightly with pain as her cut and bruised hands grasped at her captor's, that pulled everyone out of their paralyzed state and into a hectic blaze.

"Hey!" Kagome shouted first, her voice many degrees higher than the hissed out curses of her companions. "I don't know who the hell you are, but I swear if you don't let Kikyo go right now, so help me I will purify you into the ground without question!" Her voice sounded strong and determined, strength resonating within her despite her internal doubts at her own power. _Grr. If only I had my bow and arrows to back me up right now. There's no way I can take this demon on without them. But that doesn't matter! I can't back down and we can't lose! I can't believe I'm saying this, but no matter what, WE HAVE TO SAVE KIKYO!_

"Ha!" The demoness chortled with amusement. "Such strong words from a weakling without a weapon. You should have taken your secret, solo training a little more seriously if you had planned on making threats, little Kagome." The demoness hissed out her name, pleased at the shock that came across Kagome's face in response.

 _She-She knows my name?_ Kagome trembled, and regrettably took a step back out of fear.

"If you're so eager to take on someone with a weapon, then i suggest you stay focused on me, demon!" Sango interjected, her hiraikotsu ready in hand to be swung out with perfect aim. Yet when the moment called for it, she too hesitated, and did not release her hiraikotsu once the demon turned her focus on her. There was something about looking into those blood hungry eyes, the sheer promise of engulfing pain, that seemed to strike Sango down with an electric jolt. She was unable to ignore the depth of freezing uncertainty that clawed at her abdomen, threatening to force her down into a black hole as if an abyss was about to appear beneath her body and pull her into a void of nothingness. As if she were already there, she could feel the loneliness that would engulf her floating in that endless darkness. Her heart shriveled and froze at the thought, tightening in her chest until she could no longer breathe.

"How very rude you are, Sango. Why I half-expected to hear you all cheer with gratitude, considering all the trouble I went through to bring you all this stunning little gift." At her words, she pulled Kikyo closer to her body so that they were pressed against each other while Kikyo weakly attempted to kick away, her purpled mouth gaping for air like a fish without water. "This little doll was no easy feat to resurrect after all."

"Shut up." Inuyasha whispered, his bangs hiding his face while tessaiga coasted a few inches above the ground.

"Hmm? Perhaps you'd like to voice that a little louder, half-breed scum, Inuyasha. I don't think you're friends heard you." She hummed almost gleefully.

"I said to shut your trap, you whore-dressed liar!" Inuyasha roared, catching the attention of all his friends who clearly saw the red glow in his eyes; He was enraged to the point of almost losing control. The demoness simply tilted her head to the side, the waves of her red hair catching the passing breeze while Kikyo shivered as a few strands grazed her body. With a facade of innocence, the demoness spoke with puckered lips:

"Oh now see that hurt my feelings. What on earth could I have lied about to gain such a degrading title?" Her smile was just a little too wide for comfort, her white, sharp fangs clearly on display for all to see.

"Don't act dumb! You know fully well what you're lying about!"

"Hmm." The demoness continued to play ignorance tilting her head upwards while tapping her chin with one of her dark clawed fingers, as if she were contemplating his accusation. "No, I can't say that I do, half-breed Inuyasha. I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap! I know… you and I both know that can't be the real Kikyo! The real Kikyo…" he halted in his shouts, whispering out his pain at saying her name before shouting once more. "The real Kikyo… THE REAL KIKYO DIED IN MY ARMS OVER THREE YEARS AGO! So don't you try to fool me or anyone else here! Kikyo died so there's no way that that could be her!"

 _Oh Inuyasha._ Kagome's heart lurched at the sight of him, his eyes clearly swelling with tears while he fought to hold them back. _He's in so much pain, he can barely stand it. It must have taken a lot for him to say that._ Instinctively, she clutched a hand to her chest, attempting to grasp the heart that now felt unaltered sympathy, and isolation. It was the demonesses teasing voice that refocused her attention.

"Heh. Are so sure, Inuyasha? After all, that's the funny thing about resurrections. It is required that the subject be dead in order for it to work, and as you've already clarified-" she unclenched her hand from Kikyo's throat and grasped her from around the waist, capturing Kikyo's arms in the hold, so that their bodies were pressed back to chest, with a slouched Kikyo in front while she let the claws from her free hand trace Kikyo's collarbone. Despite the pain her neck still felt, Kikyo gasped in a gulp of fresh air, relishing in the oxygen that now filled her burning lungs. She would have thanked this reprieve from torture, had the dragging claws on her collarbone not felt like melting iron scalding her flesh. At her whimper, the demoness continued."-Kikyo was once dead, but now is very much alive."

For once, Kikyo looked at what was around her through her foggy vision, her eyes red from the blood that now rushed to her head with throbbing waves, and tears that flowed without restrictions down her cheeks. Her body felt aflame, as if her skin had been tourched by the sun, a sour note to her soul adjusting to her body heat, and it made her feel weak, her head struggling through bobbing motions to remain upright. _Is he here? Could he be? I must see him before this woman strips me of this body again._

Her chocolate eyes dazed from left to right in a pathetic attempt to search for the one she sought most. But exhaustion overtook her, and she slumped her head down, unable to fight the heaviness she was feeling. It was then that she finally saw him. She could've laughed at how she had searched in all directions for him when he was standing right in front of her! Instead, her eyes swelled with bitter-sweet tears.

He was as she had so vividly remembered him; a white mane that captured the golden sunlight; the gleaming red robe of the fire rat he always wore; the disgruntled look on his face that never failed to appear. He was there, she had seen him, and his worried, honey eyes had seen her.

 _Inuyasha._

Instinctually, she slowly reached out her hand towards him.

 _Inuyasha._

Her fingers reached out with all her might, as if she could grasp him if she just tried a little harder.

 _Inuyasha!_

Her heart screamed for him, pumping new energy into her to give her strength.

 _Inuyasha!_

After all this time, and all that they endured, she still loved him. She knew she always would.

"Inu… yasha…" She meekly called out, but it was enough; his name had finally fallen from her lips.

"Ki-Kikyo?" Inuyasha stammered. _Could it be?... Is it really you?... Kikyo?_ Peering into her chocolate eyes for answer, an endless road filled with emotions, studying so as to not be dragged along by a blind, false destiny, he captured her burdened eyes into his mind, and in it, saw the very core of all he had known her to be. She was here; his courageous, selfless, inquisitive, self-efficient and graceful beyond words Kikyo, whose eyes still held the love she had had for him, much like his own still had for her. He'd know the real her anywhere, and all doubts that he had relied on slipped away like water upon oil.

"Kikyo…"

Without thought, he reached out his hand to her as well, wishing that their fingertips could touch. However, though they remained separated by feets of air, this was enough to feel and embrace the timeless love that expanded between them, connecting one to the other. Their hearts rang for the other, and though the circumstances were dire, they found tears of joy filling their eyes at being able to see the other once again. Without words, their hearts spoke out to each other. And then it was gone.

Kikyo screamed out a gurgled whelp of pain, doubling over into a bent position, her body still held by the demoness that held her captive. Between her groans of agony, she coughed up the belly of blood that collected in her throat.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted above the calls of his comrades, unsure of what had happened. Then he saw it all too clearly; Kikyo's abdomen had been penetrated by a dark clawed hand that now twisted organs inside. With every movement the demoness made, more blood spilled from Kikyo's mouth, while a river of blood descended down Kikyo's abdomen and onto her legs, droplets of red liquid falling down to the earth from her shaking toes.

"I'm sorry." The demoness hummed, a glint of amusement in her eyes.. "I just can't stand romantic moments."

"Damn you! You'll pay for this!" Inuyasha roared, taking off at a run towards the demoness with his tessaiga ringing with power. "I'm gonna make you wish you never touched Kikyo!"

With a satisfying smirk, a single fang nibbling her bottom lip in an attempt to suppress her overfilled joy, the demoness lifted a single finger up to Inuyasha, and before he could jump up towards her, purred out the words; "Down on your knees."

Inuyasha suddenly fell on a fours, unable to rise. No, it was more as though he had been forced down. He struggled, against the invisible weight that fell upon him, but the more he fought, the heavier it became. In the deep recesses of his mind which still thought logically unlike the rest of him that was blinded by the strong urgency to fight, Inuyasha became aware that it was his very blood that had stilled and had weighed against him. He could feel where, despite his veins and hearts efforts, his blood would not move, as though it had been frozen in place.

All too quickly, he began to feel the icy burn from his muscles that pleaded for replenishing oxygen, the biting chill on his face ears as his head felt as though he were hanged upside down; a heavy pressure that dazed his vision and dulled his hearing. With each beat of his heart, he felt a numbing squeeze as the chambers of his heart began to collapse into themselves. And as this cold enveloped him, cancelling out the warm world around him for the frigid shadows that darkened his sight and the icicles that ruptured in his veins, he was certain, without a fraction of a doubt, that what he was feeling was death's cold breath and its bony fingertips reaching to take his life.

 _What-Whats happening? Am I dying? No… I can't die yet! I have to save Kikyo!_ The muffled sound of his groan rattled in his mind, and a sound that resembled a distant voice, like that across the mountains that only his demon ears could hear, called out his name. Immediately, he knew it to be Kagome's voice.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome fell to his side, one hand to his back and concern overtaking her. "Inuyasha, what's wrong? What's happen to you?!"

But he could only groan out his building pain.

"What have you done to him?!" She accused the demoness. "Whatever it is, you'd better let him go! And Kikyo too!"

"But I'm just beginning to have fun, little Kagome." She hummed, a now passed out Kikyo folded over her arm.

"Then let's see how much fun you'll have with this!" Sango called out, throwing her hiraikotsu which burned with demon yokai in a swirling inferno, and following immediately after was Kirara as she took flight. It was very unfortunate that their efforts were in vain.

With a delighted smirk on her face, the demoness simply lifted her hand again, this time at Kirara, and in a way that clearly declared to everyone that she was in control, flung Kirara into hiraikotsu with a flick of her wrist.

Kirara's howl was great, her body receiving the full force of hiraikotsu as they flung to the ground. Even if she could get up from such a beating she would not be able to, for now she felt the heavy weight of death upon her just as Inuyasha did.

Sango fell to the side her friend calling out her name as Kirara began to groan with agony. She became increasingly afraid for her beloved friend. "What kind of monster are you?!" She shouted at the demoness, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

"Maybe you just piss me off." The demoness scowled.

"I do not believe that." This time Miroku spoke, his calm and cautious tone a stark difference to that of his comrades.

"And you'd be right not to, Monk. Of course, the only one with any sense on how to use his head would assume such things. So tell me, young Miroku, what makes you think otherwise?"

"I find it difficult to believe that you would come here out of spite, considering we have never met. Also, if your only reason to attack was that we angered you, there would be no reason to bring back the priestess, Kikyo."

"Well," She chuckled, her head swaying to the side and she smiled a dashing and flirtatious smile, a few short strands of her hair falling across her face in the breeze; it was an image worthy of being the cover of a magazine. "I'd say you're only half right. I hold great malice for you little rats. But you are right in saying that I came for greater reasons than that."

"Then tell us. Tell us why you have come."

"It's quite simple, actually. About as simple of a reason as there could be." She paused, watching the wheels within their heads turn. She could hear the groan of the neko demon and the half -breed continue, the latter growing so exhausted in his efforts that he fell onto his belly with a wheeze. She could hear the silent whimpers of the children who whimpered behind the monk, the little fox demon trembling at their side with the little leaves in his hands beginning to wilt. More importantly, she could sense their rising desperation for an answer. "The reason I came here, or better yet, I should say, that what I truly want the most, is for your little group of rats and rodents… to come after me."

The remark caused them to stumble in their words, questioning gasps escaping their fallen open lips. It was quite amusing.

"I don't understand." Sango spoke this time. "You _want_ us to come after you?"

"You're repeating me, slayer. I just said that. Although, I suppose I can be more specific, for your sake. To make it easier to understand, I want you to do what will come naturally to you; try to save Kikyo."

"But why? What is your reason for doing all of this?"

"I have my reasons, monk." She said darkly, her cosmic eyes turning black for only a short moment. Then they returned to normal as she giggled out happily. "It wouldn't be much fun if I gave you all the answers now. What would be the point? It would ruin the game."

"Game…" Kagome mumbled, still huddled over Inuyasha who had stop making noise but still shook violently against the pressure he felt, beads of sweat beginning to form on his face. _She thinks this a game? What she has done to Inuyasha, and Kirara. It's all just a game to her!_ "You monster! You'll never get away with this!"

Her heart burned with hot rage, and at that moment, Kagome wanted nothing more than to be able to destroy the demoness. Whatever it took, she would make this demoness pay for the pain she had inflicted on her friends.

"We'll just have to see about that, little Kagome. Oh, but how silly of me," The goddess laughed. "How could you ever hope to find me unless I give you at least one clue."

"How about we just take you out now." Sango said coldly.

"Oh you poor slayer. You've already tried." A duration of time passed in silence, the small group of comrades slowly taking in deep swallows, beads of nervous sweat trickling down their necks, while the demoness enjoyed every second before growing bored of their uncertainty. "Boring little pile of rats. You are hardly any fun. Very well. As I was saying, i'll give you one clue to find me and save your precious Kikyo. All you have to do... is find out who I am. That will be more than enough for you to realize all you need to know."

"And how do you propose that we do that, demoness?

"Well, for one, monk," she smiled, envisioning the taste of their blood when they would fall to their knees before her. This would be the first step to that day, and excitement was rising inside her, building anticipation for what she was certain would come to pass, and when they would find out who she was... " know that I am not simply a demoness, but something far more grave, and powerful."

The darkness shone in her eyes once more, a fanged smile on her face, as the cloud of miasma that surrounded her and the unconscious Kikyo began to slither back into its coil. As they once came, so they faded away, the cloud swirling around them until their figures faded, and continued to swirl until the cloud itself disappeared as well. What remained was the fading, gentle laughter of the demoness, and the fading jaki that had been a part of her that resembled much of the one felt the night before. Despite this, Sango, Miroku, and Kagome could not shake the feeling that she was still there, still watching them with her cosmic eyes.

Their disappearance had been quick, and it was with great relief that, as soon as the echoing laughter faded, whatever had been placed upon Kirara and Inuyasha vanished as well. Kirara jolted from the sudden freedom that befell her before embracing it and collapsing into Sango, eagerly reverting to her smaller form to curl onto Sango's lap. With unhinged affection, Sango scooped up Kirara, holding her close and speaking sweet and gentle words filled with love as Kirara mewed in response. It should have been calming, a relaxing notion that, for at least this moment, everything was alright. Only it wasn't.

Despite the disabling drift that he had been subjugated to, the endless fall that came with his natural born senses abandoning him for deaths comfort, Inuyasha had held onto one thing; Kikyo and the presence of her aura. Now that tether of her aura that he had latched onto was gone. She had disappeared into the shadows; into nothingness. It was as though she had died all over again!

Her sweet waterlily scent that had permeated the air was all but gone. Her raven hair and chocolate eyes were nowhere to be seen. She had been so close, only a few feet out of reach, and now she was gone! No sign of her anywhere as if it was a just a cruel trick his mind had hallucinated!

His thoughts shouted only her name, saw only her face, and felt only the indignant filled need and desire to possess her once more. To reclaim the love he had lost was all he wanted, and this necessity called at him wildly, demanding surrender to its passionate savagery. It was with glee that he willing gave into this raving abandon, the hot fire in his belly spreading through him like wildfire.

His body jerked as he submitted to his demon blood that pounded to take over, and for a second he saw the sky clearly; the poignant cranberry red and violet flowing over each other as the last glints of sunlight faded away. And then, all he saw was a conquering red glow over taking his vision.

An ear-splitting roar blasted the air so foreign and yet so familiar, he could not tell if it was his own. Familiar voices shouted near him, his mind unable to recall their owners as his memories began to fade. A feral jerk invoked a scream from someone he could no longer remember, and then there was only the cool autumn wind blowing against his snarling face. A monstrous voice called out his beloved Kikyo's name, and as if he fell into a slumber, his consciousness descended into darkness, with beastly cloak taking control of his form.

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...Can't... help... grin... on my... face! :)

I'm happy. I'm excited for more too!

Ah the turmoil, it brings me great pleasure... And now you see why I came up with my OC.

ANYWAY, stick around for more guys. Things are just getting started. MUHAHAHAHA!


	9. Chapter 8: A Change of Mind

Hello loyal readers! I've been gone for quite awhile and I do apologize (here is me, hoping for forgiveness- please?)

Anyway, I hope this chapter makes up for the delay, and answers any questions from the previous chapter -notes will also be provided below if there are any remaining questions regarding a center ending from the last upload.-

Please enjoy and many thanks! (and again... i'm so very very sorry *puppy dog face*)

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Chapter 8: A Change of Mind

It was of little significance to him what his palace looked like. It's elegance and majesty, and the memorable way of how it was shaped so that when they sky admired the earth it was graced with a royal-purple crescent moon within a marble ring border, meant little to nothing to him. His power was his claim to the western lands; the palace was just an extravagant jewel upon the earth. That was the whole reason of why he had left the task for its design and build up to Jaken, who had foolishly hoped that all the details, from the yoki infused golden gates placed at each cardinal direction along the border, designed with engraved images of dog demons flying over mountains under a crescent moon night, to the expansive gardens within the border and the gravel pathways that separated them before meeting at a courtyard at the front of the palace, would impress his lord. Even the details of the japanese-styled palace, with its cascading seven stories decked with gleaming royal-purple tiling along with the outside walkways and small marble statues of galloping dog demons on top of crescent moons at each corner or peak, were left unrecognized. In fact, for those sparse moment when he did take a look at his retainers work, all he could see was the obvious influence from his mother that Jaken must have taken for advice.

The only real thing he could partially say he enjoyed about its existence was its conveniencey; it was a convenient place to sleep, eat, train, and deal with his increasing responsibilities that came with his new abode, which was turning out to be more useful to complainers underneath his rule than anything else, who now had a place to spill there puny troubles onto him.

He was fond of his peace here and took his responsibilities seriously as many eyes, both from those within his rule and without, were watching to see how his leadership compared to his father. His father, after all, was able to command without a palace. But his father was a general, and Sesshomaru was the lord; far greater things were expected of him, not that he cared much about the views of others, but he be damned if he was not absolute perfection in lordship as he was in his killings. And perfection is incapable of faltering after all. This meant that concentration was needed during his time at home; even a small inclining would have sufficed. So why couldn't he even do that?!

In all his life, which was an extremely long life, he had never encountered an instance where his thoughts were so enraptured, so fixated, dare he say, even a little obsessive, that it was all he could do just to function! Enchanted dreams drifted into his conscious thoughts the moment he awoke, ensnaring him and refusing to let go. Oh he had tried to focus on other things, the path on which his mind had ventured being one he refused to dwell on, but he was failing.

Countless scrolls he had read in his study, and for each countless time he could not recall what he had read because the black ink reminded him too much of raven hair swaying in the wind. The training hall was no better. He moved out of habit rather than conscious skill, like a puppet while his mind wandered to fluttering lips stringing stories of a future unknown. Hunting was of little help as he skulked outside the western entrance and into the pine tree forest that littered the downward slope of the mountain, the momentary mind lapse between the stalk and the kill lasting only a second before he thought of her standing beside a well surrounded by a meadow in a forest.

The frustration only rose as he disposed his kill onto the palace cooks before trekking up the stairs into his private chambers with company at his call. On top of silk, royal sheets the two demonesses moaned and arched with pleasure beneath their lord's body and still this did not erase her from his mind. Worse now was his thoughts as he envisioned it was her who moaned out his name and grabbed at him, her whose face contorted with pleasure he had given her. His ache for her was suffering, and he removed himself from the satisfied demonesses to sit at his table beside the bed-mat and rub the temple of his aching forehead. He had grown tired of fighting his own thoughts and when he heard the cooing calls of the demonesses who pleaded with him to return to bed, his eyes turned red. He did not want them, he did not want to hear their voices; he only wanted her.

"Get out." He said calmly, attempting to keep his rage in check. But they called to him once more, and this time, he could not maintain self control. With a roar he shouted for them to leave his chambers, and afraid for their lives, they scrambled off of his bed-mat and hurried out into the hall way with little to no clothing to cover them. He sighed, falling onto his bed with his forearm resting over his eyes as he tried to calm down while he allowed his thoughts to trail down the path he had tried to avert his mind from; a path full of thoughts and images of the priestess who had bewitched her way into his mind. Drifting into the spell he could recall her with such clarity he could hear her voice through his ears, smell her scent even though she was nowhere near, and see her as though she was right next to him. His breathing slowed and his body relaxed, ready to enter into a slumber where his dreams would revolve around her, the priestess, Kagome.

A rising dream carried an image of her standing in the basking glow of the sun with a gentle breeze flowing past. Her eyes were admiring the man with long silver hair who stood beside her; himself, Lord Sesshomaru. Half awake he could feel his lips pull into a smile, his barely conscious mind attempting to berate him for smiling at all, and especially for smiling because of her. But he didn't care; he wanted the dream to be real. He wanted to be with her.

Then his smile faltered. Once curved lips straightened into a hardened line distaste creeping on the tip of his tongue. How could a demon such as himself even conceive such a repulsive thought? To want to be with a human, especially with a disrespectful, loud mouth priestess such as her?

 _Ridiculous. I will not allow one such as myself to think so foolishly._ He thought to himself. But his yearn for her continued.

 _She is a lowly human._ He attempted to redirect himself again, but he was usurped by the idea that her fragility only made her bravery and strength that much more admirable.

 _She belongs to my half-brother._

The groan that escaped his lips could not be helped. To think he had to stoop so low to try to get her off his mind as to recognize his brother's 'claim' to her. Even worse to think that this also did not work.

The image of her beside him was searing itself into his mind and memory, refusing to be set aside and in all honesty he didn't want it to be pushed away either. _Damn it priestess. What have you done to me?_

All too suddenly an image locked in his forgotten memories forced itself forward, taking place of the coveted image that mocked him. It took him a moment to realize the image had changed, their similarities so starkingly alike, but the change was a demoralizing revelation that disturbed him to his very core. The recognizable demon stood proud beside a woman, his hair pulled back into a ponytail and a light hearted smile was on his face. They looked so alike, Sesshomaru and his father, and no doubt if he ever did smile as widely as his father did people would easily believe at first glance that Toga, the great Inu-no-Taisho, had risen from the dead. It was the disgrace he felt toward his father, however, that overshadowed what pride he would have felt over their resemblance.

His father's arm was wrapped around a maiden of long, dark hair and whose belly was round with near birth, the child within her being a half breed and one who would be known as Sesshomaru's little half-brother. She was glowing, and contently had her head resting on his father's shoulder. Truthfully he had never seen a couple as happy as they had appeared to be, and never had he seen his father quite as joyful around his mother as he was around this human. This only made the bitterness in his mouth grow more sour and vile. His father, a demon of high regard and strength, and someone who Sesshomaru had admired greatly, had married and bedded with a lowly human woman; the same woman who was the very source of his father's death! Nothing could erase the palpable disdain and resentment Sesshomaru had felt that day when he finally saw the human woman whom his father had fallen for. _Disgraceful._

And then the priestess was at the forefront of his mind once more, her laughter echoing as she looked up beside him, her head resting gently on Sesshomaru's shoulders. The umbrage he felt cooled at the thought his mind provoked, and he despairingly wished that it would not vanish once more. Only it did as the two images began to overlap each other, one crossing over the other over and over again until they blended into one mesh of an image, the like of which forced him out of his drifting slumber and upright with shock. Was it a pregnant Kagome who stood beside his father, or was it a laughing Izayoi who stood beside him?

The answer made no difference because one thing was made all too clear; he was becoming like his father in a way he never intended; He had begun to care for the priestess in a way he never should.

With no one around, he snapped his fangs with a snarl, almost willing to laugh and deny the notion if he hadn't been filled with such shaking uncertainty. Could he really have developed feelings for this woman? How? Either way, his direction towards action was clear; one way or another, he would go to Edo village and demolish whatever relation or connections he had unknowingly made with the girl.

Quickly, he re-dressed, sending out a bit of his jaki towards Jaken. It did not take long for the imp to come to his Lord's door with a rata-tat-tat.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" He squawked. "You called my Lord?"

"Come in Jaken."

The door creaked open into a large, fully furnished bedroom that was large enough for two kings to dwell in. White tile flooring was patterned with a few gold tiles engraved with crescent moons that matched well with the mauve stone walls and arched ceiling. The area of the bed-mat was lifted a single step higher than the rest of the abode, and the bed-mat itself was twice as thick as any other mat in the lands, with dark purple and magenta sheets being of the finest silk anyone could ever find. It laid on top of a simple, silver rug which ran down the step and into the center of the room. Two doors were placed at the opposite end of the room from the bed-mat, one leading to an extravagant bathing area the size of one of the palaces extremely large halls, and the other leading to the dressing room which was, to Jaken's distaste, half the size of the bath. Facing the opposite end from the bedroom entrance was a curved balcony half the size of the room with potted plants and its own coffee table and lounging seats that matched the formal table and seats set within the room beside the bed. All in all, Jaken was very proud of his work, so it disturbed him to see his lord in what appeared to be utter outrage.

"What is the my Lord? Was it the harem girls? I told them only the best for you my Lord?! Oh if I find out they sent anything less there will be hell to-"

"Jaken, I am leaving the palace for the rest of the day. I entrust you to watch over things."

"Of course my Lord! I, your loyal retainer, will not let you down! Oh, but… may I ask where you are going? There is very little daylight left, not that the darkness has any thwarting merits, but-"

"Jaken."

"Y-yes?"

"Be quiet."

"Oh, er yes my Lord." He bowed, while keeping a confused observant eye on Lord Sesshomaru.

He was not sure why he had paused when he picked up his armor, nor was he sure why he decided to put it down, choosing instead to go into the dressing chambers and pull out another, more simple armor piece. It was the same as the other, only the breast plate had no spikes and there was no pauldron over his shoulder.

 _She had difficulty with the spikes before…_ He bit his tongue, drawing blood. That shouldn't have mattered to him, and even if it did, he was off to destroy what little there was between them. Grudgingly, he had to admit that there was very, very little.

"Why are you leaving with that suit of armor, my Lord? Is it not significantly weaker than the other? Eh, my lord?"

But he did not respond. All that drove him was the necessity to leave, and to leave now before the worst part of him that wanted to be with the priestess got the better of him. It was also best that he not answer a question he did not know the answer to.

Determined, and more eager to see the priestess than anything else he had in plan, he ignored the squawking of his retainer and exited through the balcony, taking flight into a red sky with clouds rolling over each other like smoke from a cauldron. As he flew, his human form gracefully passing through the sky, the earth opened herself to him. Below on the ground he passed gleaming forests and golden plains; Rivers and waterfalls, both known and hidden were shown to him, and the canyons and mountains that scarred the earth were seen beneath his feet. But he didn't care for the beauty below him, for he had seen it a hundred times over. All he cared about was his nearing destination, and the prospect of seeing the priestess. Perhaps that added to the surprise when he suddenly felt a wave of jaki pass over him, originating from the Edo village, and although he was certain he had never felt this particular jaki before, it felt remarkably familiar, as if it were part of his very core.

Confused and suddenly anxious for the safety of Rin and the priestess, Sesshomaru transformed into a ball of light, taking this form to travel faster than his human form ever could. Once more he was surprised as he neared the village, anticipating a battle only to find that, inexplicably, the jaki and its owner had vanished. _Was it defeated?_ Sesshomaru pondered, knowing that this was unlikely as the jaki was from something far too strong to be rid of so easily. Where did it go then? What was it? Then, as if to add onto his numerous questions and startle, Sesshomaru heard a scream, the kind that stems from extreme pain. _Kagome!_

He knew it was her, there was no denying it and at her cry out he became stricken with alarm and thought of only her and her name devoid of any formalities accustomed to his nature. He sped, only a few yards left and he would be there.

But as he neared the spot where the scream had originated, he was passed by his brother who lept through the air with a snarl. Immediately, he was aware of his brothers state; Inuyasha had transformed, his demon blood within him in full control so that there was no consciousness or clear thought. Inuyasha was a blank slate, a slave to the whims of his demon bloods desires. But this was something that Sesshomaru would think about later; Right now, he only cared for his wards protection and finding the priestess.

Only one care was satisfied as he peered down towards the village and saw his ward as she comforted the fox kit while a demon cat cared for small, crying children as the monk and slayer argued. They would protect Rin; she was safe. But where was the priestess?

It didn't take long for him to know where she had gone; he didn't even need her scent. Her predictable nature was uncanny. She had gone to the well.

~• •~

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...can't... hold... back... grin! I'm very content with this chapter. Below are any clear-ups regarding the last chapter (i received some comments about it and would like to clear the air)

The end point in which Inuyasha "blacks out" is actually just a specific POV of his transformation. His own to be specific. It is demonstrating how when he gives into his demon blood, he himself has lost all senses. To summarize, though his body is moving and actions are being carried out, his consciousness has receded and has become dormant while his demon blood has gone full pilot.

Some other extended questions I received will be answered in the next chapter, so please stick around, and I hope to get back on track with this whole update thing- please bare with me-

Many thanks everyone!


	10. Chapter 9: That Damn Pride and Ego

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening everyone!

Here's another installment! I hope you enjoy this :)))

A big thank you to InuDemoness1525 for pointing out an error in the last chapter! (It has been fixed)

Anyway, enjoy, favorite, review, etc. All of which are greatly appreciated

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Chapter 9: That Damn Pride and Ego

At some point in the midst of her frantic and rather unbalanced run, where her breath was a wheezing exasperation, and a mixture of uncontrollable tears and snot fell down her face, Kagome failed to keep track of her steps. As she reared around a tall tree in her path, she was caught by the ankle by an up-curving root, and the earth was pulled out from under her. The descent was fast and alarming, and out of instinct she lunged her hands out in front of her to catch her fall regardless of the injury she had recently attained. Bitter regret and painful expectation coursed through her as she recognized, far too late, what she had just condemned herself to feeling. She landed hard, and her right forearm, which was already discolored and swollen prior to her fall, gave way with a _snap_!

Her scream was a howl of a crazed animal being skinned alive. All she could think to do was to turn over onto her back and rock the little that she could as the pain washed over her. The arm she held at the elbow was pressed down onto her body and was shooting tingling fire upwards and towards her spine. Like a swarm of vicious, biting fire ants eating at her from the inside, they reached their pinnacle pressure at the stem of her spinal cord just at the back of her head. She tilted her head upwards so that the earth appeared to be the sky, hoping to relieve the pressure her head now felt and refusing to see the arm she new was bent in an unnatural position.

With shaking breaths she attempted to breath through the coursing pain. _Inhale. Exhale. Inhale._ She groaned, her teeth shaking with every breath that she took. More heat radiated upwards, and her vision began to go dark. _Inhale. Exhale. Inhale._ Kagome knew she would pass out soon. _Inha-_ She attempted to inhale again, but nearly gagged, the pain she felt rising to a nauseating level. Her stomach was flipping. The ants were still biting. She half-welcomed the darkness of unconsciousness that was just a few moments away.

She would have slept, there on the cold floor. There with her arm unnaturally bent, discolored, and swelling. There, where the well she had been racing to was only a few meters away. _The well._ She hadn't realized it was so close; had almost completely forgotten about the false sanctuary she desperately needed to be by. But she needed to be there.

With the earth swaying beneath her, Kagome eased her way up, careful of her arm, until she was standing. Each step was a challenge and a struggle to not plummet towards the ground and lay there. When she did reach the well, sitting against the cool frame in a curled up version with her knees tucked towards her chest, Kagome, heavy with exhaustion, exasperated a sigh of relief as droplets of hot tears fell from her heavy eyes.

The numbness was beginning to bloom from her arm, dousing the ants that chewed at her nerves and calming the nausea, though the throbbing of her head persisted. The event that brought her here replayed in her mind; the strange red haired woman in silver; the appearance of Kikyo and how completely battered she was; Inuyasha's reaction to it all…

 _Inuyasha._ Kagome thought bitterly, his name lathered in venom echoing in her head. She lifted her arm, reflecting on his inflicted damage that had led to her current state. What little she could feel of her arm was flimsy, as though it would melt into itself like putty, but its state was graphic and alarming. Immediately, her nausea returned, and the ants began their assault again until she set it down once more, allowing the pulsing numbness to resurface.

He had done this to her. In all his misery and pain, when he remained slumped on the floor as he shook with misery and rage, she had been at his side attempting to comfort him. A truthful promise had spilled from her lips, ensuring him that they would help him find Kikyo and that they would find Kikyo no matter. But had he even heard her? In return for her compassion, Inuyasha, red eyed with jagged cheeks as he let his demon blood take over, roared out towards the sky. And when she reached out her hand to calm him, did he accept her care? No! With full strength, he had slapped her arm away, and that fracture had resonated louder than just the sound in her ears.

 _Damn you Inuyasha._ Kagome gritted her teeth. _Damn you to hell! I hope wherever you've gone that you never come back! I hope to never see you again!_ Her tears that were hot rage, began to shift to a cooler sadness, and an aching whimper escaped her bared teeth.

 _How.. How could you… how could you do this to me Inuyasha? You broke my arm! When all I was trying to do was help! I don't think I could ever forgive you for this… I don't know if I want to… And it was all for..._

Kagome was shaking, partly from shock, partly from her misery. She knew that she was also to blame for how her arm looked now, running as blindly as she was through the woods, but it didn't erase the fact that Inuyasha had been the one to break it first, his hard smack causing the initial discoloration and slight bend in her arm. Now her arm was a bruise in it of itself, and that slight bend was now a sharp angle, but if Inuyasha hadn't lost control, she wouldn't have ran here as frantic as she did in the first place. Her bitter insight also told her that he had willingly surrendered control; hadn't he shown before in their trials with Naraku that he could control himself even with his demon blood raged?

It had been Inuyasha, the one whom she swore to stand beside, the one who had sworn to protect her, that had put not only her but everyone in danger by giving into his anger, and in turn had harmed her in the process. Now, the tears that had been falling like small trickles from a gentle flow, were let loose. Believing to be alone and in the comfort of her false sanctuary, Kagome felt free to cry out for the pain in her arm and in her heart. She felt so betrayed. Her heart was as damaged as her arm. The pain was so deep, she thought nothing could ease it; it would be a pain that would last forever. And her howls proclaimed the enormity of her agony.

"Priestess!" A voice, filled with alarmed concerned, sounded beside her, startling Kagome. With a jump and a wince from the movement, Kagome shot her head up to look upon her unsuspected guess.

"Sess…" She couldn't say his name, her throat closed from bewilderment, sadness, and gratitude. His eyes, which often only carried flickers of emotion hidden behind a stoic mask, was now unchecked and fully exposed with feeling and reaction. It was incomprehensible, down right impossible, but at that moment, gazing into those eyes that spoke volumes after only ever showing whispers of thought, Kagome was certain of what Sesshomaru was feeling; concern. Concern for her. Worry and questions of what had happened to her. And care. She knew that was it, that gently warmth beneath the worry and concern; it was care.

"Priestess. What has happened?"

In response to the question, Kagome's reality came crashing down on her once again. Immediately, more tears fell from her, and she struggled to speak between her sobs.

"Sess… Sesshomaru…"

"Priestess, I will not ask again."

"The-the-the.. R-Red woman… the demon… and Ki-Kikyo… Inuyasha got so mad and…"

She was trying her best, but her words were rambles that Sesshomaru could not understand and this frustrated him. His brows furrowed close to each other and his eyes became dense with concentration. A normal, expected response from him would have been a chastisement at her incapable speech, perhaps even at her seemingly endless tears, but he did neither. Instead he sighed, his shoulders falling lower as he held her gaze, as if he were chastising himself for not understanding her incomprehensible blubbering, and drew a clawed hand towards her cheek, wiping a tear away. Kagome's heart nearly sputtered to a halt.

"Priestess, tell me what has been done to you." He begged. Begged! For there was no other word to describe so wholefully his desperate plea for her to confide in him that he may find some semblance of a way to make the wrong that had been done to her right again. Kagome's breath shook, bewildered and unable to deny the demon lord's request, and, in one burst, unburdened the weight of her pain.

"In-In-Inuyasha. He broke my arm!" This time she lifted her arm quickly to display her claim. Quick shocks coursed through her arm where the ants chewed at her, and she whelped from the sudden pain. As she cradled her injured arm, she too was suddenly cradled to her surprise. Sesshomaru was holding her, resting her in his lap and taking her injured arm into his clawed hand to inspect it more clearly. She didn't dare to question it, and instead took to her new position willingly, burrowing her head against his chest as she continued to cry and shake.

Sesshomaru was livid. There was not a single instance where he could recall desiring to spill someone's blood as much as he did now. Regardless of what excuses the half-breed had, for Sesshomaru was certain Inuyasha would have many, he would see to it that he suffer for what he had done to the priestess. _Despicable trash of a half-breed, Inuyasha!_ His venomous growl could not be retained as he mentally cursed out the bastards name. For a moment this startled the broken priestess, who stiffened at the sound. But before she could pull away, Sesshomaru held her closer to him, reassuring her that the growl was not intended for her. He didn't care that she cried upon him; he had grasped onto her for that very reason, knowing this would be what she needed and wanting to be the one to assuage her. It pleased him that she understood immediately, returning to her weeping in his comfort as he pushed his disdain aside to focus on the true matter on hand.

In the palm of his hand he held the disfigured product of Inuyasha's handiwork. A ghastly deep red and purple tint spoiled the cream tone of the priestess arm where the blood vessels beneath her skin were bursting and pooling into swollen areas they didn't belong. The tips of her delicate fingers were swollen and limp, their discoloration worsening every second. Her veins were bulging, struggling with every pulse, but the worst thing, the thing that made it all truly horrid was the bend of her arm. A nearly perfect right angle, the point of the break was bulging with something pushing against the surface, scraping to be released. _Her bone._

This damage was too great for her to bear, and his fears were confirmed as he turned his attention to the priestess face. Sweat was trickling down her face while her breaths were shaky. The area around her lips was a pale yellow with tints of blue while her eyes looked sunken with heavy lids threatening to close shut. She was battling with the pain, and she was losing.

It was ridiculous how badly he wished to erase the pain away that he would resort to such desperate measures; to use an ability he had swore to never use. Yet here he was, and he would use it willingly if she allowed it. If he was to heal her, right here, right now, the only way he knew how, she needed to agree to it. He would not do this without her consent. This would hurt her, far worse than what she had been feeling, but in the end, she would be better off for it. She would have to consent. Doing it unwillingly may cause her unnecessary fear and trauma, and if she denied it, then he would simply have to accept it.

"Priestess." He called, her recently shut eyes fluttering to open half way. It astounded him that even with the enormity of the pain she must have been in, both physical and emotional, that she could still manage a smirk of a smile.

"Huhmmm." She hummed, though it was obvious she was struggling to say more. But her eyes were beginning to shut again; she would not last long.

"I wish to heal you."

"Hmm." This time her eyes closed, and Sesshomaru also shut his eyes, but in exasperation. She was falling into unconsciousness too quickly, and he needed her to be responsive for just a few minutes more. He needed to find a way to anchor her here; something that would hold her attention. Something of touch.

It should be noted that Sesshomaru fought with himself over his ultimate decision. This was something reserved for paired demons whose intentions were to mate. It would mean little to her, but to him it would be crossing the line. But he was desperate, and he already knew that she would not know its importance as she had initiated the reaction first. He could do this, and it could mean nothing. But would it? He already yearned to do this regardless of the situation because of his unexpected feelings towards her. He had come to terminate those feelings, and instead this could carry the burden of increasing them. Did that even matter now though?

Not wanting to waste more time to allow her to slip deeper into the void of unconsciousness, Sesshomaru tossed all internal arguments aside, and did something he wanted to do since they were last this close just 24 hours ago. Without hesitation, Sesshomaru brought his face down towards her and began to nuzzle the curve of her jaw.

An impulsive growl escaped him, the rumbling from his chest resonating with tenderness and affection. Astonishingly enough, the priestess responded, stirring from her half slumber to reciprocate his movements and nuzzle him back with a light mew of a sigh. If she were demon, this would have been a sign of her accepting him to be her own and her his own. But she was not a demoness, and Sesshomaru was forceful to remind himself of this.

"Should I do this," he continued, pushing past the warmth her reaction resonated within him, "there will be pain."

Immediately she groaned, refusing to feel anymore pain than she already had. Besides, at this point, all she felt was the tingling numbness and the pressure in her head to fall to sleep.

"It will heal you priestess. This one swears the pain is only temporary. You will be better off for it."

This time she remained silent. She was not unconscious, but contemplating what he had said. While she wanted to be healed, there was a part of her that doubted his claim that the pain would be temporary. She had already gone through so much pain in such a short time frame, and being a demon she doubted he even understood what pain was like for her. As if reading her thoughts, he responded to her silence.

"Do you trust me, priestess?"

The question was heavy, and her eyes shot opened despite their heaviness as he was pulling away from her. His own amber eyes were full of worried anticipation. This question meant more than just if she would allow him to do this. This question was a window into how she viewed him. Did she trust Sesshomaru?

Lifting her good hand, she touched the markings on his cheek. It was amazing that she was permitted this. It was amazing that Sesshomaru was holding her in his arms with gentleness. Amazing that he wanted to heal her, and that he had asked for permission first. It was amazing. He was amazing. And suddenly the question seemed so mundane and unnecessary. The answer was so obvious.

"Yes." The word was hoarse as it escaped her noncompliant throat, but it was enough. He moved swiftly, and after only a moment, he held his obi sash in his hand, folded nicely, and was pressing it against her lips. Obviously confused, Kagome squirmed back, and only ceased when Sesshomaru explained.

"Brace yourself, priestess." _That doesn't sound good._ Kagome recoiled, but bit down on the sash nonetheless; truly she trusted him undoubtedly. As soon as she was ready, bracing herself for whatever he had planned, Sesshomaru gently rubbed the claw of his thumb against the curve of her arm. And then he plunged it into her flesh.

Her scream was loud and intense while her body thrashed in Sesshomaru's hold. Like sharp glass rattling in his mind, Sesshomaru couldn't help but be torn. This was for her betterment, he repeated to himself as he plunged his claw deeper. But the white of her knuckles as she curled her fingers tightly, the arching of her back as if it were a bow, and the rasping of her throat as she cried out in agony was all so… human. It felt sickly to be harming something so delicate and fragile that he cared for.

And as the bitter taste in his mouth continued to grow, the essence of his power preparing to be released, it was a mocking reminder of the vow he had taken so long ago when he had first discovered this gift at such a young age; he had swore he would never demean himself to this. Yet here he was, and when his claw touched bone, finally reaching the depth needed for the process to fully work, Sesshomaru brought his lips to the cut in her arm.

There was a strange tingling sensation vibrating throughout Kagome's arm as the dog demon licked at her wound. Suddenly the pain and the numbing pressure that had been plaguing her vanished, replaced by embers of electrical impulses that tickled and cooled the flame that had been her arm. Gradually, she regained the sensations of her fingers as she curled and extended them, the bend of her arm gone as though it never existed. It was easier to keep her eyes open now, and she took advantage of this fact by admiring the strange situation she had found herself in.

Letting her head relax against his shoulder, she watched as Sesshomaru healed her. At first, she was astonished as each passing of his tongue seemed to erase more and more of her wound, bringing back her natural color. _He's healing me. I never knew Sesshomaru had that ability. I wonder what else he can do. Though, he kinda looks like a dog licking at their masters wound._ Kagome smiled, internally chuckling at how she had just referenced herself as Sesshomaru's master.

All too quickly, however, Kagome's cheeks began to burn bright red and her throat became dry with embarrassment. _Oh my…_ Her eyes grew wide with shock while her heart lurched and sputtered as acknowledgement of what was happening settled. _Sesshomaru… He's…_

"Eh-h" she stammered, turning her head away in an attempt to halt her rising blush from the base of her neck, the newly formed assault on her porcelain skin. "Sesshomaru… Uh… y-you don't have to do… t-that."

He lifted his head, catching her gaze with one lifted brow. There was no evidence in his face or eyes of what he had done for her, the impassable wall that defined his demeanor set perfectly back into place. The intensity of his gaze forced Kagome on edge, the gradual rise of her all ready fast paced heartbeat accelerating to a jack hammer rate, and she quickly raised both her hands, passing them rapidly in front of her face as she exclaimed;

"N-not that i'm not grateful! I am! Really! Thank you! It's just-"

"Priestess."

"-I'm sure my arm can heal on its own! You've already done so much! Not to mention a girl is bound to get embarrassed when a guy-"

"Priestess."

"-er.. Yes?"

"Your arm is healed."

"Huh?" She looked down at the arm that she had been waving around like a crazed woman; the perfectly straight, slightly pinkish arm that was once a gruesome mess of bursting blood vessels beneath her swollen skin. Clasping it in her other hand, she took a breath of astonishment. It was tender, and there was a faded line where Sesshomaru's incision had been, but it was healed.

"Sesshomaru… I can't believe…" She looked up at him, and for a moment pursed her lips, thinking of words that could explain the enormity of her gratitude, but all she could say was "Thank you".

"Hn."

Silence lingered in the air for a few fleeting breaths. The night was cool and crisp, and the stars were out, shining brightly with the moon with no clouds in sight. It was serene and tranquil, with the delicate melody of nocturnal insects filling the air. Kagome was filled with the sense of peace, something which, given her ordeal, had seemed improbable to achieve. Content, she returned to resting her head upon Sesshomaru's shoulder, who did not reproach or push her away. Looking down at his captivating charge, he dared to possibly erase this moment of lulling serenity despite his desire to remain as they were.

"Priestess. Do you wish to return to your friends?"

"No." She said quickly, without giving herself a moment of thought. Her cheeks colored at her prompt response, but she kept her head down so Sesshomaru could not see. "I'd like to stay here… If that's alright."

Without a word, Sesshomaru shifted his position so that his back rested against the well, securely keeping Kagome in his soft embrace. Once more, she nuzzled against, and he refrained from releasing the pent up rumble in his heavy chest chest.

"You're wearing different armor today." Kagome mumbled as she began to trace intricate invisible lines along his kimono absentmindedly. Of course he didn't respond; He wouldn't know what to say if he tried. Luckily, he didn't have to.

"Sesshomaru, can I ask you a question?"

"Can I stop you?" He jested, knowing she would ask either way.

"Why did you come today? Was it because of the aura from last night?"

 _Aura?_ "No." He paused, thinking of an appropriate answer to tell the priestess, but unwilling to tell the full truth. He had given up on fulfilling his true purpose of coming here the moment he saw the priestess. "I came here to see you," he half-lied.

"Me?"

"Hn." Realizing he wasn't going to continue, Kagome simply smiled and did not press him, something he was grateful for. However, as they sat in the still silence, enjoying the presence of the other's company, a question bore at Sesshomaru's mind, rattling around rapidly waiting for either an answer or escape until he relented.

"Priestess, I have a question for you now."

"Hmm? What is it?" Internally, Kagome hoped that he would not ask for more details as to what had happened between her and Inuyasha, for as much as her arm had healed miraculously, her heart was still a shambled mess of shattered glass tossed into a hot fire and left to melt. She couldn't help the shiver that trembled down her spine at the prospect of having to explain that, and she shut her eyes as he spoke.

"Why do you come to this well whenever you are disturbed?"

With a breath of relief, she opened her eyes. _The well. He wants to know about the well. Thank goodness._

"You noticed that, huh?"

"It is difficult not to. As I said before, you are quite predictable." He smirked as she lightly chuckled, content to have erased the unease he sensed in her just a few seconds ago.

"Well, actually… This is the well that use to take me home."

 _Impossible._ "How is a well capable of taking you home? Does it sprout wings?" He nearly laughed himself at his sarcastic remark, which would have been out of character. It would have been a slip he would be incapable of recovering from. It would have been a display of the priestess's influence over him, because he only felt inclined to laugh due to the priestess's infectious giggle.

"I'm serious Sesshomaru," she nudged at him playfully. "You already know that I'm from the future… well… this is how I use to travel from my time to this time."

"This well transported you?"

"That's right. I'm not sure how, other than it had something to do with the shikon jewel, but it did." There was a pause before he spoke again, taking in this surprising, if not unimaginable, information, and formulating his next question.

"Then why do you only wait by the well? Why not return to your own time?"

"It… It doesn't work anymore…"

"And yet you find solace here? Despite that it is a reminder of what you can no longer have?"

"Yes. It reminds me of home. It hurts, but at the same time, it makes me feel better. I don't know how else to explain it." The invisible lines Kagome had been tracing became smaller and more detailed as she spoke, a somber look captivating the gleam in her glass-film eyes just as it did anytime she would peer down the empty well. Sesshomaru sensed this easily, and, with the utmost confidence in his capabilities, made a single, shocking promise.

"I shall restore it then. For you."

"What?" Kagome, flabbergasted, jolted back to look at him as she was certain he must have been joking.

"I shall restore the well's abilities."

"You're not serious."

"This one does not lie, priestess."

"N-no, i know. It's just…" _He can't be serious!_ "Sesshomaru, I don't think even you can do that."

"You doubt my capabilities, priestess?" He peered down at her, a certain glint of amusement in his eyes at Kagome's baffled awestruck while also fortifying the sincerity of his promise.

"I think you and your inflated ego are way in over your head!" She said, smacking his chest lightly as she smiled.

"Inflated now is it? Is my ego not justified?" He pinched her and couldn't help but smirk at her laughter. It tickled his ears, and when her laughter subsided as quickly as it came, and she placed her hand back at his chest, he clasped her hand into his own. They peered into each other's eyes, neither one oblivious to how close in proximity they were, and as Kagome's cheeks reddened as she bit down on her lip, attempting to calm the blush she knew was on her face, Sesshomaru became serious with assurance.

"Priestess, this Sesshomaru will restore the well. I vow it."

There was no jest, no hidden falsehood in his words. His vow, as he called it, was heavy, as heavy as an anvil full of promise and certainty; a declaration. And just like before, when the doubt that lingered in the air was whisked away by question of trust, so too did Kagome's doubt at Sesshomaru's ability blow away with his single vow. Gently, Kagome rose her hand and began to trace Sesshomaru's lips with her thumb, something deep in her abdomen compelling her to follow this impulse without any real reason. This gentleness was followed by a rare smile, one that always captivated her whenever it appeared.

Sesshomaru found the priestess's touch soothing, like applying water to a burn he didn't know was there, both cooling a relieving, and as his lips felt her touch he began to study her features once more, focusing prominently on her lips which fell partly open and inviting. By a flicker of chance, they caught each other's gaze at the same time and tug of tension suddenly permeated the air. In this bliss of a moment they were no longer a demon lord and a priestess. They were no longer an abstract construct of people with some form of loyalty to a missing third party. They were simply two beings with an undeniable attraction for the other, and that attraction was calling for action.

Sesshomaru attempted to play coy, his smile taunting the priestess as if it were a game to see who would react first, but he eventual gave into the pull and brought his face closer to the priestess just as she did with him.

Yet before their lips met, the kiss their attraction had been calling for was interrupted by the call of Kagome's name out at the distant beyond the trees.

"Sango…" Kagome whispered. Sesshomaru's eyes were already focused on the direction Sango's voice had come from, and Kagome couldn't help the pain of rejection that bubbled in her chest. It took all her strength to hold back the tears that suddenly began to form in her eyes, and act as though she felt no pain at all.

"The slayer is looking for you." Sesshomaru spoke calmly. "I will take you to her."

He lifted her bridal style, and then he ran at a speed that made Kagome feel like she was flying through the trees again. When they appeared before Sango, she yelped in surprise, first because of the suddenness, and then because of the fact that Sesshomaru was holding Kagome.

"K-Kagome!"

"Hey, Sango." Sesshomaru set Kagome down who was quickly wrapped in Sango's arms.

"Don't 'Hey, Sango' me! I was so worried about you! After what Inuyasha did, and then you running off! How's your arm? I heard the crack, let me see-"

"I'm fine Sango. I swear. Sesshomaru-"

"Eh? Kagome, your arm is fine! But how-"

"Slayer." His voice cut through their chatter, silencing the them immediately.

"U-uh, yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" Sango stammered. It was impossible for her to be in his presence and not be intimidated, especially when he acted like this, his entire demeanor commanding respect. Which to be honest, was how he was all the time.

"The priestess's injury has been healed, but it still requires time to mend. You shall see to it that she does nothing that will bring her harm while she continues to mend. Including tripping over her own feet."

"O-Of course, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Priestess." He nodded goodbye. The gesture made Kagome blush profusely and butterflies began to flutter in her stomach, causing Kagome to bite her lip and tilt her head down from indescribable feelings that rushed through her. When she lifted her head up again, he was already gone.

"Kagome." Sango asked seriously, her arms folded across her chest.

"Hm? Yes, Sango?"

"What the hell happened between you and Sesshomaru?!"


	11. Chapter 10: Tug of War

Hello loyal readers! Here's the next update! I hope you all enjoy!

I did struggle a little bit on writing this chapter, but i'm hoping it doesn't show through.

Now let's move on to chapter 10 :)

* * *

Chapter 10: Tug of War

"Stupid Sesshomaru." Kagome grumbled beneath her breath, tugging at the gauze wrapped around her arm as she let the water from the brook pass around and between her floating toes. It had been three days since the mysterious, red-haired demoness appeared, and three days since Kagome almost kissed Sesshomaru. Inuyasha was still nowhere to be found, no new clues or events regarding the red-haired demoness had turned up, and absolutely little to no communication had passed between her and the jerk of a Demon Lord, Sesshomaru, who had been coming by everyday since then. As if her embarrassment once she came back down to reality wasn't harsh enough, Kagome had metaphorically beaten her rear repeatedly to the point where she could almost feel the bruises physically.

What was she thinking! Sure, her and Inuyasha hadn't been doing so well. In fact she downright felt completely forgotten and abandoned by the jerk she had once thought she would spend the rest of her life with. And yeah, after her talk with Sango, she had been thinking more and more frequently about leaving Inuyasha, but it wasn't official! It was just a thought, and she always had plenty of thoughts. Like how she thought that Sesshomaru had wanted to kiss her too, only to find him completely aloof the next day and leave her staggering in the wind like a forgotten kite. In her mind there was no mistaking it. Sesshomaru had never wanted to kiss her, and she had made herself look utterly foolish.

"Stupid Sesshomaru." She grumbled once more while choking down a threatening sob, the kind that, if released, would open the flood gates to her tears. She had been crying so much lately. "It shouldn't hurt this much. It's not like I like Sesshomaru anyway. At least not like that… do I? What am I saying!" Kagome shook her head violently, trying to shake away the thoughts that had invaded her mind. "I can't be thinking this way! If I do, i'll be no better than…" _I'll be no better than Inuyasha, and how he was with Kikyo… How he IS with Kikyo._ She sighed, tossing a few blades of grass that had been the victim of her nervous tearing of the ground into the Brook.

The place where she currently sat was a mile up the river and was roughly the same distance from the village that the well was. It was at a point where the water was shallow and the cool, translucent liquid raced between various pebbles and rocks; where the fallen leaves and reflective light danced with the movements of the water just before joining the much larger expansion that made up the river. As the water lapped and flowed into itself, it mimicked sounds of bubbling chatter coupled with muffled claps that created the tranquil music of a babbling brook.

The brook was secluded, with tall trees on either side reaching over and above the water to create a ceiling of variously colored leaves as fall began its slow assault on natures colors. Whatever sunlight was able to pour in through the trees came down in streaks and highlighted the floating specks of ragweed pollen that floated in the air. It was a beautiful area and about as peaceful of a place as Kagome could find, excluding from the well. Which was now off limits.

Ever since that vow, which Kagome was surprised to see that Sesshomaru was attempting to keep after giving her the cold shoulder, she hadn't gone anywhere near the well where he labored over trying to figure out its functionality. The few glimpses Kagome would catch of him on her way to the brook were filled with images of him attempting to pour his aura into the well with mixtures of jaki and yoki, and then he would fade away behind the trees she passed. In her own form of retaliation towards his aloofness, Kagome also avoided him, giving the justification that she needed to remain loyal to Inuyasha and it would be best to avoid Sesshomaru in order to do so, rather than admitting the truth that it simply hurt too much to be around him when he scarcely spoke with her.

So she avoided the well and came to the brook, ignoring the tug inside that yearned to go to him. She pacified herself by watching the movement of the leaves, attempting to let her mind ease away from it's current preoccupation, and was joyfully surprised to see the fluttering of a blue jay's wings behind the transparent leaves.

"Buyo!" Kagome cheered as the blue jay flew down and greeted her, landing in her open hand with a cheerful chirp. Buyo had been a frequent visitor of hers whenever she was by the well, and, as a joke, as well as a reminder of she had lost, Kagome had decided to name him after her pet cat that she had left in her own time. A cat, mind you, that loved to catch blue jays whenever it could.

"I'm so glad you found me, Buyo! I bet that mean old Sesshomaru scared you away, didn't he?" He chirped in response, making Kagome laugh."Don't feel too bad. He's being really mean to me too. It must be an Inu thing, huh? Being a jerk just runs in the family… I guess."

Kagome thought of Inuyasha then, and his disappearance. Even though she was still extremely angry at him, she was worried. Where could he have gone?

"Kagome!" Shippo called out as he floated over the river towards her in a form of a pink, bulbous ball. Ever since he had started going to the Kitsune Training and Examination Academy, his transformations had notably improved. His arms, which were once little better than sticks with little round balls at the ends, were now thicker and more structured, with fingers and toes to grip things with. His eyes were no longer crossed eyed, though the were still abnormally close to each other, and on his cheeks were swirls that matched Hachi's transformed self. With his improvements in appearance, Shippo had also gained improvements in his strength, and could now float a much longer distance and with more weight than before. It was an achievement that made everyone in the group very proud of their youngest comrade.

"Hi Shippo!" Kagome stretched out her arms as Shippo popped back into his regular form, falling into her embrace like a child does with their mother, and they hugged each other briefly. Though neither Kagome nor Shippo had ever addressed their parent-child like relationship, it was accepted that Kagome was Shippo's caregiver, and as such protected and cared for Shippo much like a mother would. That is why it was no surprise when Kagome pulled up a wrapped lunch she had placed at her side and handed it off to Shippo. "Here's your lunch. It's that lemon and chilli chicken that you said you liked."

"Awh, wow! Thank's, Kagome! I can't wait to eat it!" Shippo yipped as his tail swished from side to side, unable to contain his excitement.

"Hehe, you're welcome. Are you ready for school today?"

"Uh-huh." Shippo nodded. "Today we're going over how to use and control foxfire. And since I already know how to do that, it's gonna be a breeze for me!"

"Well then you'd better hurry," Kagome said as she teased his hair, "because how else are you going to get the most out of showing off if you end up getting in trouble for being late?"

"Alright," Shippo responded confidently as he hopped down from Kagome's lap, "And I'll be sure to not show off too much. I mean what kind of demon fox would I be if I humiliated my fellow classmates with my amazing abilities- gah!" Shippo yelped as Buyo flew down to continue ruffling the hair Kagome had teased. "Hey! Knock it off Buyo!"

Kagome laughed along with Shippo, who was currently trying to shoo the little bird away. "I think that's Buyo's way of telling you you're being to brash." Kagome giggled out through her laughter. Once Shippo's hair was jostled to the point of resembling a nest, Buyo flew up and onto a tree branch above them, looking down as though he too were laughing.

"Haha. Oh you think that's funny huh? Just wait! When I get back, you're getting a Mohawk!"

At this, Kagome couldn't help but double over in laughter, imagining her little blue jay friend with a Mohawk and a little, bird-sized leather jacket to match. In the midst of her laughing, she was surprised to find Shippo plop himself down on her right leg, looking up at her with merriment in his eyes.

"Eh? What is it, Shippo?"

"Are you really, truly happy, Kagome? Really?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Of course I am. What made you think I wasn't?"

"Well… It's just… Ever since that lady appeared and Inuyasha left, you've been really quite. Especially around Lord Sesshomaru."

"Eh?! Sesshomaru?!"

"Yeah! I don't know what's going on with you two, but whenever you two are near each other, it's like there's a wall between ya'll that you can't cross. You barely look at each other and… and…"

"Shippo? What's wrong?"

"... It's not like I like having Lord Sesshomaru around. He scares me. But… you were… happy when he was around. And I like it when you're happy Kagome! It makes me happy! Sango said that Sesshomaru didn't do anything to you, and that the reason you weren't as happy was because of complex reasons that I wouldn't understand, but I want you to be happy, Kagome."

"Oh Shippo," Kagome teared up as she scooped the little fox kit into her arms, embracing him with all the love she had. Her heart swelled with affection and gratitude to the abundantly sweet and caring little fox demon she had in her arms, and the fact that she was so lucky to be the one to care for him. "I'm always happy when you're around Shippo. Even when everything else in my life is bringing me down, you always bring me back up. You make me happy, Shippo."

"Do you promise?" He said through a muffle as he buried himself at the crook of her neck, his lashes becoming wet with the few tears that had formed in his eyes.

"Of course I do."

They pulled away from their hug, and Shippo wiped away the few stray tears that had gotten the better of him. It took a few minutes of assurance and laughter before Shippo officially left for school. There was no doubt in Kagome's mind that he would be late, but those few minutes they spent with each other was worth it.

That conversation had sparked something within Kagome, suddenly giving her the confidence and courage that she had been utterly lacking. If there was one thing that she knew now, it was that she let her happiness rely too heavily on those Inu jerks. Well no more! If she felt happier being by the well, then damn it she would be by the well! Regardless of what that jerk, Sesshomaru, thought of her! Regardless if he continued to give her the cold shoulder! Regardless if she felt completely intimidated by him now! She was going to the well!.

With a huff, Kagome lifted herself off the ground, giving the earth one good stomp before making a complete 180 and charging off towards the direction of the well.

~ • • ~

She stopped at the forest's edge, watching from a distance as Sesshomaru toiled away at his impossible task. It was curiosity that had made her stomping feet halt in their march as she wondered what, exactly, was Sesshomaru attempting to do with his power? Thus far she had only seen glimpses of him, and she knew the basic mechanics of what he was doing, but she didn't understand why. How could pouring his jaki and yoki into the well ever fix it? Why was he even attempting to do it this way? Did he know something she was completely unaware of? Could he really have figured something out about the well so quickly as to chose this method of repair? It made Kagome very very curious.

And he knew she was there. Obviously his demonic powers would have alerted him of her approaching presence long before she had ever arrived but this fact wasn't what alerted Kagome to his awareness of her. Rather, it was the position that he took as he worked, placing himself in a way that completely exposed all his workings for her to see from where she stood, as if he were in a play, and she was his sole audience.

Kagome watched as one hand poured yoki into the well, while the other hand dispersed his jaki, which she could only assume was used to restrain the destructive power of his yoki so it would not burn the well. A few moments passed with nothing occurring. It was the same as when she would pass by with only a glance, and a sprout of hope she didn't know she had held began to whither and die. Clearly, she wasn't the only disappointed as it seemed Sesshomaru was also growing impatient with his efforts, his eyebrows edging downward with disgruntlement as his lips remained a hard thin line. It wasn't working, and Kagome resigned herself to the fact that she would never, ever, return home. Yet, beyond any reason she could think of, Sesshomaru kept trying, not moving from where he stood until the impossible was witnessed.

It had been so long since she had seen the midnight blue essence with various orbs of light extending and expanding in its miraculous time flux, that at first she hadn't recognized the amazing feet that Sesshomaru had manage to achieve. And when she did realize what she was witnessing, it struck her disbelief like a hurricane against the frail trees of the coast, stealing her breath, stealing her balance, and stealing her view on the course of her life.

She wanted yell with joy! She wanted to fall onto her knees and cry! She wanted to rush into the well and never look back! She wanted to kiss those unkissed lips regardless of his reaction towards her! But then, as quickly as it came, it was gone.

The midnight blue essence, with its welcoming orbs of light, suddenly vanished into the varnish of the distressed wood, and in it's place came the rising smoke from the yoki that permeated the well. The opening in time was gone.

It hadn't occurred to her that she had started running, the shock she felt deluding her senses as she came up towards the well. Somehow, she thought, maybe she could bring it back. Maybe she could bring back that magic that alluded her, and by doing so, bring back the hope that had been ripped away from her when it disappeared. With panting breaths she threw herself at the well, grasping with desperate hands onto the wood that now felt frail and hollow. Dried splinters were now protruding from the well though, pricking her hands like thorns that punctured her palms, embedding themselves into her skin, and she was forced to let go.

"Ow." Kagome recoiled, examining her quilled hands. The splinters were thin and ashen, like the the rest of the well that had suffered from Sesshomaru's touch.

"That was reckless, Priestess."

"I-I…"

There was a moment of pause as he watched her try to twitch her fingers without disturbing the splinters, and utterly failing. Was it impatience at her ridiculousness that made him grab her hands to pull out the splinters himself? He liked to think so.

For their first real interaction since, well, since _that_ night, it left Kagome unsure of how to proceed. Her mind was scrambling for answers on how he was able to make the well work, even if it was only for a moment, and she desperately wanted to ask him. Yet as she bore her questioning gaze on him, certain that he knew she was staring at him and waiting for him to say something, anything, or even just look at her, her desperation of knowing about the well tilted, and she was desperate to know something far more terrifying.

"Sesshomaru…" she whispered and waited, but he didn't respond. _Maybe he didn't hear me._ "Sesshomaru?" This time she knew she was heard, but he continued to ignore her, only giving attention to the splinters he plucked. Her heart quivered within her chest as she summoned up what she assumed to be courage, which slithered up her throat and racked at her teeth as she forced the words out of her unwilling mouth. "Se-Sesshomaru… are you… are you mad at me?"

It shocked her when he jerked back at her words and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he looked her in the eyes. Yet his eyes were so cold, so unreadable, that Kagome's hands began to tremble in his own, and whatever form of confidence she had began to dwindle away. She waited, taking a breath, and then another, just waiting for him to say or do something. Eternity held no meaning for the length of time each second seemed to take as ramblings of thoughts clouded her mind filled with self-doubt and uncertainty until her little bit of courage was snuffed.

Was it possible for a chest so filled with emotions to collapse into itself? To compact all that was felt into a tiny pin that pulled and grasped for more than could be given? Kagome believed it could, for she now experienced it first hand. She pulled away, reclaiming her hands before turning to walk away. Sesshomaru wasn't just angry with her. He hated her. It seemed so obvious now, and as much as she hated the tears that began to form, and the sting that came from the pin in her chest, she couldn't stop it. So when she was forced to stop by a hand clasping her own, preventing her from leaving, Kagome couldn't understand.

Sesshomaru looked down at his hand, which had betrayed him. As if it had a mind of its own, it had crossed the line, reached out and grasped the priestess hand. She had asked if he was angry with her. What a ridiculous question. He hadn't responded because the very notion seemed almost laughable. Oh how he wished it was anger that he felt! Did the priestess really not know how he truly felt? Could she really not see the struggle he endured when he was near her to restrain himself? The struggle to keep himself at a distance only to fail by succumbing to an impulse that revealed his hidden longing for her nearness? There was so much more that he felt for the priestess and it was far greater than anger, and far more perplexing.

Kagome was currently struggling herself, but she was struggling with shame. She had come here to reclaim her position and prove that her happiness did not depend on anyone but herself, but instead she had shown the exact opposite. It was pathetic how quickly she crumbled at Sesshomaru's silence, and what made it worse was she was now at a lost at how to remedy her dependency. She needed Sesshomaru, and without meaning to, she began to chuckle at her own pitiful-ness.

"Why do you laugh, priestess?"

"Why?" She looked up at him, her eyes filmed over with sadness yet exuberant with clarity. "Because… I'm so weak around you."

This was the moment where they should've talked, where both parties were now open and willing to pour out and explain their side of things, but this didn't happen. As Sesshomaru began to take a step towards the priestess, they both suddenly became aware of the aura that seemed to descend on them. And at the edge of the meadow, coming out from behind the trees, were monsters neither had ever seen before.

~ • • ~

"Oh Amellis! Isn't it wonderful!?"

Amellis didn't respond. Chained to the floor next to her mother's throne by the pit, she was forced to watch as Tseuno took out her mother's newest desire for torturing Kikyo. Suspended over the pit by chains, Kikyo had taken to gritting her teeth rather than screaming every time Tsueno's whip cracked through the air and raked against her spirits skis. Little blue orbs dispersed out like floating blood, and Amellis imagined that if the blood her heart bleed for Kikyo's pain could be seen, it would look remarkably similar.

"Just look," Amellis's mother continued, passing the tips of her fingers across the surface of the blue sphere created by Amellis's bleeding eyes. Within the translucent orb that rippled like a ball of water, Amellis's mother could see into the lives of any priest or priestess she wished, including Kagome's. "It's just too good! Like watching a dramatic play of some sort! A story of a young girl compelled to keep her loyalty to one while also torn by her feelings towards another. And towards the older brother nonetheless! Oh how… juicy! Still, it's a little light on the trauma, wouldn't you agree, Amellis?"

She looked towards her slave of a daughter, who sat motionless on the floor with blood pouring down her face like tears, and smiled. Reaching her hand over, she touched Amellis cheek, who did not move, and scooped up a few droplets of blood onto her finger. Her tongue licked at finger, enjoying the taste of Amellis's blood which was delectably sweet. As she sucked on her finger, she received an equally delectable idea.

"I know exactly what to do!" She chimed, and immediately stood up from her throne with her arms held high as she summoned her yoki. "It's time to raise a little hell."

With a thunderous sound, her yoki was released up past the ceiling and onto the earth, where it rushed towards where the little priestess was; next to her beloved well, and beside the demon of her hidden affection.

* * *

Oh, Inuyasha! Inuyasha! where art thou Inuyasha?

thou art somewhere hidden away, but thou shall be found in time with a chapter of thy own... later. Much later.

next chapter is gonna be all about the pain! *insert meme of little child with balled up fist in front of "hell yeah!" face*

now since it is final exam time for me, next installment will take awhile, but be patient my loyal readers. It is coming.

Anyhow, i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, and have a wonderful next few weeks until we meet again :)

Bye!


	12. Chapter 11: Beasts

Hello everyone!

This took me longer to get out than expected - take three weeks out from writing to focus on exams and it is a major challenge to get back into the groove of things- but I hope the wait was worth it! As always, please review, favorite, etc. (any comments on how to improve my writing are greatly appreciated and welcomed!)

Anyway, please enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 11: Beasts

They emerged from the shadows, a harrowing black fog being thrown up from the earth, slowly transforming into pillars of ghastly beasts made of miasma. Defined solely by the condensed effluvium of their noxious smoke within a border-less and undefined form, they shifted and changed shape endlessly. With every jerk and every splice of change or movement, a piercing hiss rang out like a plague of cicadas announcing their arrival, calling for demise.

A sound so sharp and intense, it seemed to reverberate from inside Kagome's ears with the jarring _ssss_ scratching at her ear drum and forcing her to cover her ears with her palms, the stinging from her feeble arm be damned.

She passively thought that they, her and Sesshomaru, should be moving. Should be doing something. Running? Fighting? Once again she didn't have her bow arrows, which, in her mind, rendered her effectively useless, but that didn't negate the tightness in her stomach that urged her muscles to move. Yet they stayed still, simply watching the bizarre creatures unfold from the depths of shadows.

As the beasts skulked out past the tree line, sunlight hitting their mildly transparent form, the creatures began to change, taking on more solid transformations. Some stood up like hunched men with invisible weights on their backs. Others snarled close to the ground like oil colored wolves. None of this mattered though, since with every few seconds, the creatures would change shape again, as if deciding which form would be best. The only characteristic that remained the same was the long, black claws that grazed the floor, sharp and menacing.

"Sesshomaru…" Kagome called out like the helpless, frightened child she saw herself as. It wasn't long before he was shielding her body with his own, a sword in hand humming with charged power.

"Priestess, listen to my words carefully," he spoke softly, audible to her only, forcing her to uncup her ears as one human shaped creature approached them from the crowd; the cavalry's rallier, "when they charge for attack, you shall run to the shall die by my blade ."

"What?! Sesshomaru, no! I can't just leave you!"

"Do not argue with me, priestess. There is no other option!"

"Like hell there isn't!" She could feel her anger rising, her heart beating with a _patpatpat_ like a clock counting away the few seconds they had left. "I can help-"

"No!"

"Why?!"

"I cannot fight effectively if i'm charged with your protection."

"Then don't protect me!"

"You are a hindrance, priestess!" He snarled, and Kagome flinched.

Somehow the words had hit her hard like a physical slap and with such brute force that she stumbled back a few steps. They were sharp, like a knife, and had cut as deep as the bone, and considering her most recent injury, she was confident that that was an accurate description. She stayed silent, the argument seemingly over. He had won.

The strange creature before them straightened and stood tall, staring directly at them with empty sockets, its vaporous skin catching the light like heat rising from black pavement. With a _CRACK_ the beast jerked its head, it's jawline lowering, tearing its false construct of flesh. _CRACK!_ It jerked its head once more as its mouth split open, revealing rows upon rows of sharp, black teeth as its tongue rolled out of its mouth, covered with thorn-like spikes and reaching far past its chin. One last _CRACK_ and the beast exposed it long, wide smile, reaching from one hollowed out point to another, licking its tongue at the air towards Kagome and Sesshomaru, as if it could taste them from this distance.

With a howl that scrapped the wind, a sound of screams on top of screams escaping from only one source, the beast charged. His legs, for it was a man given its shape, carried him fast and hard before his shape began to change, running faster and more beastly until its wolf-like form took shape, tendrils of black smoke trailing behind him as the rest of the beasts came charging as well. A pack of shadow wolves, hissing and growling with long claws scraping the ground. They sounded savage. They sounded hungry.

Before Kagome could gasp, the first beast was on top of them, lunging with a wide mouth full of black teeth, but Sesshomaru was ready. With one quick swing, he caught the beast mid-air, his blade making purchase inside the beast's mouth.

It should have been done with. His blade should have split the beast in two and he should have been taking out the rampage of followers by now. Should have.

With a bark that resembled a gloating laugh, the beast wrapped its tongue around Sesshomaru's blade, the green aura surrounding Bakusaiga being sucked into the beast's mouth as it jerked against Sesshomaru's strength. _It withstood Bakusaiga?_

Grudgingly surprised, Sesshomaru grasped the beast's neck with his poisonous claws and yanked it away from his sword, throwing the beast onto the ground with a _yelp._

"Sesshomaru! Your sword!"

He didn't need to look. He knew Bakusaiga had been damaged from its pulsing alone, his sword calling out to its master in pain. Gritting his teeth, he surged his energy into his sword, preparing to unleash a yoki wave he hoped would eliminate these swarming beasts whose multitude was fast approaching. But the beasts were quick. As the green wave extended out from his blade, splitting the ground into a deep crevice, the beasts evaporated into the ground and reappeared as slithering trails of smoke racing across the ground before reemerging in their beasts form much closer to Sesshomaru and Kagome than they had been before. Maybe five beasts at best- at best!- had been disintegrated. Kagome whelped with fear, and for once Sesshomaru's uncertainty was shown through.

"Run! NOW!" He shouted, angry that she was still there at all.

"Ah! R-Right!" Kagome replied, but it was too late.

The swarm was upon them, a mass of black beasts hissing and screeching at them with unrelenting attacks. Where Sesshomaru had only one beast to deal with, he now had four, then ten, then an immeasurable amount. He hacked and slashed at their backs and midsections, avoiding their teeth and claws which he quickly observed were being used as mandible armor. It would take more effort than he was expecting, but he would dominate this battle and he would destroy these beasts and he would leave unscathed. He almost found himself enjoying the little challenge they provided, the first time his skill was tested since he had gone up against Naraku. Until he heard the scream of course.

She couldn't have been more than twenty feet away from him, and she was already surrounded, their sheer number too much to contain. There was nowhere for her to run, and they were already in motion to attack. What little she had learned during her sporadic solo-training, she used it now, summoning up her spiritual energy to her fingertips and forcing it out in a bright light. But the attack only pushed the enemies back a few feet, rather than destroying them like she hoped, and though they did writhe on the ground from the slight burn her attack had given them, it was only a few seconds before they were back on their feet and pouncing towards her.

He didn't waste a second, dashing through the crowd of beasts that separated them. She wouldn't be able to fend them off again. Her power took too long to summon, and it did little damage. She was too slow. Too weak. Too human.

He did not relent in his attacks. Though the beasts bounded at him in never ending waves, he fought through till he was shielding her once more. The hot wetness of his blood gushed out of his shoulder and down his arm long before he noticed the beast that grappled him.

"Disgusting vermin!" he growled as his poisonous claws punctured the beast's skull, and flung it at its counterparts, which fell into a jostling mess. Black yoki curled around his fingers that had punctured the beast like tentacles, twisting and squeezing like a snake crushing its prey till his fingers burned from the pressure, but he lifted his sword regardless as the priestess's shaking hands held onto his back for protection. Something wasn't right though.

Where had this sudden heaviness in the air come from? It was pushing against him, forcing his weight side to side on each foot as if he were a swaying pendulum. And his throat was dry; as dry as desert scorching in fire under a noon's sweltering sun with air so torrid even clouds were snuffed out of existence. A fog began to infiltrate his mind, like a drug that made the sunlight too bright to keep his eyes open as the beasts spasmodically switched from the foreground to the background and back again. It was impossible to stay focus on a single target, or even tell which target was real. _What has happened to me? Have I been... poisoned?_

" _Sess-Sesshoma-homaru-u_ " Voices echoed around him. The priestess? It sounded like her, but there were so many voices repeating his name he could not separate her voice from the rest of them. In fact, when he tried, he found that all the voices sounded exactly alike. " _Sess-Sesshom-homaru! Th-They-ey're-re com-oming! Hu-hurr-urry!-_ Sesshomaru!-"

He awoke slouched against his pulsing blade, in the midst of battle, with a radiant pink light surrounding him, and snarling, squirming beasts mere inches away from his face. Hissing from the remote pain that stemmed from their minor burns the priestess attack had inflicted on them, the beasts quickly twisted back onto their feet and shot out their tongues towards her. Infuriated at his momentary incapacity, Sesshomaru lashed out his blade, glowing with green yoki, and sliced off the beasts' tongues before scooping the priestess into his arms and jumping up into the air, away from their greedy black mouths. A shooting pain shot up from his shoulder as they lept in the air though, tingling through his muscles and making them numb while his lids began to close. One moment he was feeling the gushing wind, and the next, he was being dragged down by gravity, slamming hard against the ground as the priestess flew out of his arms with a yelp.

She rolled on the ground until finally slamming against a tree a short distance away from Sesshomaru, and looked up to see the beasts storming towards him like a flood of black smoke with galloping wolves inside. But he wasn't moving. Sesshomaru was flat against the ground, without so much of a twitch to show he was conscious.

With a speed that nearly matched the oncoming beasts, Kagome hastily ran towards Sesshomaru, unsure of what she could do but steadfast in her determination to protect him. Her legs swung beneath her, her chest burned a blistering agony, and she worried that at any moment, at this speed, she would fall from sheer exhaustion, but she pushed on, and as she closed the distance between her and Sesshomaru, Kagome summoned her powers to her hands again.

It was an impossibility to blast them all away, she knew this, and even if she did, they would only rise and attack again after a few short seconds, but she wasn't planning on going on the offensive this time. Scraping her knees on the grass, Kagome slid the last few of feet towards Sesshomaru, and reached out her arms towards the pouncing mass of beasts. Pink energy rippled out of her hands, and swirled out and around her and Sesshomaru. It was with great satisfaction that Kagome watched as the beasts slammed into her barrier, and fell back onto the ground with a cry. Her arms felt seared from the energy she had expelled, but her barrier was strong, and for that, she was more than willing to take the subtle 'third-degree-sunburn' like sensation.

Confident in her barriers strength, she whisked around to take a look at Sesshomaru. His hair fell wildly around him. On his right hand were black coatings on each finger that seemed to be squeezing his fingers while extending down his hand like invading vines seeking for entrance into his skin. The clothing on his left shoulder was torn to ribbons, and Kagome could see the black ooze that mixed in with Sesshomaru's blood and infested the under-layer of his skin, making his shoulder purple with decaying rot. Kagome couldn't help but cover her mouth and look away, the smell of decomposition that arose from his wound being almost too much to withstand. _Sesshomaru… he's so injured. I've never seen him like this. Is he even still breathing?!_

Worry nearly strangling her with fear, Kagome swiftly moved away his hair from his face, and with a heavy sigh, exasperated, "Oh, thank goodness." His eyes were open, and were a deep deep red, but that didn't matter to her. What mattered was that he was breathing, and he was alive. "Sesshomaru?"

Their was a _clink_ above her, matched with a hiss, as the beasts now climbed over and on top of her barrier. Searching for weaknesses no doubt. Eventually, they'd find one.

"Sesshomaru, please wake up." She pleaded as she stroked his hair, but he did not move. The beasts were now collecting above her, casting shadows down onto them, engulfing them in darkness, their hissing growing ever louder.

"Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru, please!" She was panicking. What would she do if he didn't wake up? There was no way she'd be able to take these _things_ on! _Oh… I should have just ran! I should have ran right when I saw them charging at us just like Sesshomaru told me to! Instead I just had to let my shock get the better of me! I just had to stay frozen in place until Sesshomaru shouted at me to run! And because of that… because of me…_

"Oh, Sesshomaru!... I'm so sorry!" Kagome whimpered, hiding her weeping eyes into her palms, "You were right! I am… just a hindrance… I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru… so sorry…"

As if rattling from inside her bones, Kagome could sense the barrier begin to shake beneath the weight of the beasts above them. For once she could see their true features, up close as they were. Black, tar like skin pulled back onto ebony bones with black smoke escaping from every orifice of their shattered form. Some parts of them didn't even have their tar-skin, revealing only gleaming ebony, thin and partially cracked. It was also made clear that it wasn't a hissing sound like cicadas they were making; they were screaming. Each movement was releasing the sound of a muffled scream like that of a woman in labor or a man being torn apart. And their tongues raked against her barrier, steam escaping from where their gray saliva met her pink barrier. They would die here, beneath the shadows of ghastly beasts licking at their next meal, waiting for her feeble power to shatter. Her and Sesshomaru. And it was her fault.

She was the reason why Sesshomaru had been injured, the reason why he was knocked out, and regardless of whether she met her end or not, what she wanted most was for him to be okay. If only she were stronger. If only.

"I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru."

"... Cease your incessant -gah- apologizing, priestess." Sesshomaru groaned as he began to rise, "Unless you enjoy making yourself look weak."

"Se-Sesshomaru!" Collapsing into him, they fell to the floor as Kagome wrapped her arms around him, clutching onto him tightly as if at any moment, she might lose him again. Words of apologies and relief escaped her lips endlessly, drowning out the screeches of danger and ignoring Sesshomaru's reprimands and half snarled advice. Let the murky beasts have their fill at her barrier! Her heart was filled with bursting joy, and ached with flowing reassurance that engulfed her sense or reason, that she may bask in the warmth of Sesshomaru's rejuvenation filled with his eagerly accepted scolding because he was awake and Kagome had not brought about their demise!

Wallowing without restraint, Kagome did not cease until Sesshomaru parted her hair that blocked her face, running his claws through midnight tresses, delicately and adoringly. Cushioned against his form she brought her head up from his chest and, mentally debating for only a fraction, forced her cheek into his palm that had been grazing the slope of her ear. Despite overlapping screams and echoing cries that rang high and low Kagome only heard the silence of breath as the chest she rested on ceased moving and a subtle shift of amber eyes seem to howl out " _Don't do this to me. Not this"_ , as if her act had been a stab to Sesshomaru's chest rather than a plea for affection.

"Priestess," He forced out his reluctant lips, "Now is not the time for this." Pulling his eyes away from hers he looked up above to see the beasts licking at the shuttering barrier, ripples of deflection emanating from contact and gradually fading in magnitude as pools of oily saliva began to collect in pockets throughout the barrier, triumphant droplets falling down little by little onto the ground beneath and bubbling like boiling water as they touched their areas of conquest. Time was certainly a luxury that they could not afford, and an unreliable one at that for there was no telling when he would succumb to the poison in his system again, and whether or not he would be strong enough to rise again. There was only the now.

"Sesshomaru, what is it?" Kagome inquired as they sat up, knowing it was more than just the beasts that preoccupied the Demon Lord's mind.

"Injury has befallen me. I've been poisoned." The mere whisper of this grated against his pride, scrapping and reddening his ego till his beast blood raged. "I will fall again. If you wish to live, you will be gone by the time I-" He dropped towards the floor, catching himself by his knee as he waited for the earth to return to his feet. He couldn't even stand! How pitiful! To be brought down like an inbred imp with demon blood so weak that it couldn't even expel poison from its system. Pathetic.

Kagome was quickly at his side, her fingers gently skimming over the ripped fabric on his shoulder as she spoke in a concerning, yet painfully obvious manner.

"Sesshomaru, you're hurt!" she gasped.

 _Obviously!_ Sesshomaru nearly groaned at her clearly evident remark, and to think this was the woman who had captivated his interest.

"I…" Kagome paused as she pushed through her uncertainties. "I can heal you… I can."

"Hn. Planning on purifying your only ally here, priestess? I had thought of you as more intelligent than that."

"I won't hurt you!" She shouted, hurt that he could slander her so easily when she had just offered to heal him.

"I am a demon-"

"That won't matter."

"But if you use your abilities on me-"

"I won't hurt you. I swear." Kagome bore her gaze on him, mentally attempting to force him to look at her, but he didn't. So she stripped away her reservations, and spoke the truth, knowing that he would not be able to ignore her once she did. "I know you think i'm weak."

His gaze flickered to her, denial in his eyes but she stopped him before he could speak.

"I know it Sesshomaru. Maybe not as weak as others, and in some aspects you might even see me as strong, but you don't have confidence in my abilities and I don't blame you. I don't either. But I can do this! So I need you to suck up your pride and trust me, and I need you to trust me now, before my barrier breaks and we're ripped to pieces! Got it?!"

Completely and utterly taken aback by the absolute fire that burned in the priestess disposition, Sesshomaru was forced to withhold a smirk, amused as he was by the priestess's bravado in light of the danger that loomed over them, and her ceaseless conviction in her capability to heal him despite the fact that, given the span of her abilities that he had witnessed today, it was irresponsible to assume that she would be remotely capable of doing what she claimed she would. But it was trust she asked for, much like he had, and against his better judgement…

"Hn." He responded. Looking down at her working hands she quickly removed the shredded pieces of his kimono from his wound, which was dark with black, toxin filled veins flaring out like small streaks of lightning. Already he could feel the pulse of his blood against his ears, threatening to drag him back into unconsciousness, but Kagome worked quickly and placed her hands against the exposed wound. Pink light radiated from her hands, dazzling and beautiful, and sounding like chimes in the wind, but nothing was felt. Nothing was healing.

Kagome could feel the energy racing against the surface of Sesshomaru's skin but none of it went into his wound or affected the darkness. It was her doubt that was holding her back. She had made promises to heal without repercussions but could she actually do it? During those few moments where she had attempted to train, she had found that she had excelled in this skill, much like she did when erecting a basic, semi-effective barrier, in regards to small plants or animals, such as Buyo. But it was because of that "natural talent" she hardly trained in healing at all then, focusing instead on making her barrier stronger and using her powers for offence instead. Now there was no time to train, and no time to be hesitant. _It's all or nothing. Come on girl, you can do this. You have to._

Prayer rushed out of her lips, spoken out of memory and habit as she forced herself to concentrate on pushing her power into Sesshomaru's wound while holding back any sting her power might inflict on him. The pink light became brighter and sung louder. Pure energy burrowed its way into gashes on Sesshomaru's shoulder, pushing against flesh and black mesh, not yet healing, not yet purifying. Kagome's fingers singed with the active purity she held back, allowing only passive, dormant purity to flow past her fingers while also making sure enough of her energy was going into Sesshomaru, and the whole ordeal had Kagome reeling with effort as a headache so forceful it made her believe her brain would likely split in two down the middle began to bear down her like heavy weights placed on her eyes and neck, but she would not stop. Not yet.

She pushed her energy to coil around the black mesh as she imagined Sesshomaru's shoulder, completely healed, by her hands. Unable to control her bashfulness her cheeks became neon red as she imagined the smoothness that his skin would have, the tight, rippling muscles that would be seen with each movement, and the strength and mobility it would have. Flickers of purity began to spark from her dormant energy as her imagination detailed out every fiber as tendrils from the black mesh struggled against her energy, trying to engulf it, before her dormant energy flared with contained purity, extinguishing out the blackness while withholding any attacks against Sesshomaru himself, and then gently flowing into his cells to pull and stitch his muscles and skin back together. Kagome, with her eyes closed, could not see the bewilderment she had drawn from the Demon Lord she worked on.

With a gasp for air she fell back, not realizing she had been holding her breath throughout it all. Her head was in agony, and her eyes felt as though they might bleed from the pressure built up within, but she was surprised to note that she was not welcomed by the hard ground, but instead was being cradled within Sesshomaru's arms.

"Sess-"

"You are remarkable, priestess. To think that I now owe you. I, a demon Lord, indebted to a human." He whispered, his eyes holding a layer of excitement as he looked up towards the mound of beasts nearly through the barrier. "Are you ready?"

Nodding, Kagome braced herself against Sesshomaru's form as he leaped skyward, crashing through the barrier. Beasts scattered throughout, falling back from Sesshomaru's impact while few transformed into their human form, climbing up their airborne comrades in an attempt to jump at their prey.

"Hn. Die, mongrel." Sesshomaru let out a wave from his blade, killing the human shaped pursuers as well as a few more scrambling beasts still on the ground. Bakusaiga shook in his grasp, letting it's master know that it only had a few swings left before failing, but that was fine. A few swings was all that he would need now. Something the priestess had done while healing him had given him renewed, empowered energy the likes of which he hadn't felt in over 500 years. Like a drug, her energy had induced in him a heightened strength, and he was certain that in one, good swing, he could take out the whole lot of beasts. Perhaps the whole forest even.

They landed a good distance away from the crowd of beasts, still climbing off of each other, and Sesshomaru set Kagome down leaving one hand around her waist.

"Go to the village, priestess."

"A-are you sure?"

"Do as I say." He whispered at her ear. "I will be close behind."

Caught off guard by his proximity, Kagome struggled to stutter out the word "okay" from her suddenly dry throat, but hastily took off in a run once he let go of her. _Get to the village. Get my bow and arrows, and the others. Then come back here. Just to be safe._ She thought to herself as green light flared from behind her, the pulse of wind rippling out from the point of impact forcing her to run at a quicker pace as she came up the tree line.

The path was ahead of her, and she eagerly ran past the trees, ignorant of the black mass pooling out of the ground. Her teeth chattered as her chin hit the floor, a black claw wrapped around her leg as a humanoid beast emerged from the ground. Kagome clawed at the ground with her hands and kicked her feet towards the beast, struggling to escape from its grasps but its grip continued to pull her closer, its claws digging deep into her flesh.

"Let. Go. Of. Me!" She yelled, but it wasn't until she heard rapid jeering swooping down towards her that the beast released her. Clambering on her hands and feet, Kagome hastily ran, looking behind her only briefly to witness what had saved her. Wings flapped rapidly in front of a raging beast with only half its body out of the ground, swiping its claws at the blue jay that pecked at him relentlessly.

"Good boy, Buyo!" Kagome called back, dashing through the forest and easily side stepping any more beasts that slithered out of the ground. Just how many more would there be? Would they ever stop coming?


	13. Chapter 12: The Fall of Edo

Hello, my extremely patient readers!

I'm so sorry this is coming out so late. Truth is, I've been sick the past few weeks, and during my fever induced delusionality, I thought it was a smart idea to completely erase EVERYTHING THAT I WROTE and start all over! -Someone really needs to get rid of that "delete file" option on my computer, especially since this isn't the first time I've made that mistake! *sigh*-

I literally had one page left to write. What is wrong with me?

Anyway, I'm actually a little surprised at how much I ended up changing in this chapter, even with working off of an outline. Some of it I like. There are certain pieces I added that I think will actually make more points in the later chapters more impactful. Some other stuff... let's just say it really makes me regret getting rid of the first one.

Anyway I hope you all like it! Enjoy!

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Chapter 12: The Fall of Edo

It came from the village. Echoed through the air. Filled with terror it reached Kagome's ears when she was still deep in the forest, running from her pursuers. The endless screaming. The howling, gurgling anguish. When Kagome burst through the trees and foliage and into the village's perimeter, she knew she wouldn't be able to go back to help Sesshomaru.

Skeletal, ebony wings conquered the sky. The flying, taloned beasts descended upon the villagers who fled, while grounded beasts snatched them up with their jaws. They were a storm; a chaotic typhoon.

Kagome ran, dodged, deflected, and ran again, over and over seamlessly. Beasts snapped and pounced at her, but by some innate miracle, she had managed to remain out of their grasp as she came closer to Kaede's hut. Hurdling over a beast's gaping mouth, Kagome rolled into the hut and leapt towards her bow, fletching an arrow and releasing it behind her without looking to see what had followed her in. A bright light radiated in front of her as a beast that was three feet away dissolved into the light, it's black streaks of smoke consumed by vibrant pink as the light swelled and consumed the handful of beasts that had followed her in.

"One arrow to defeat them all. Who would have guessed." Kagome mumbled to herself, glad that at least one of her powers held some formidability. Rushing out of the hut with a weapon in hand she took pause to look at the dangers that were devouring the village. The shadow beasts in the sky, whirling around like great winds of a tornado as the shadows on the ground tainted the earth red with the blood of their prey. It was difficult to ignore just how red the dirt pathways had become.

Amongst the sounds of beasts and wailing, Kagome could hear her friends as they fought against the beasts. Miroku's succession of prayers, Kirara's roars, and Sango's hiraikotsu war cry. They were okay, so far. But Kagome was eager to find and join them in the fight.

Fletching an arrow, Kagome prepared to make a path through the beasts until she heard the scream of an old woman. Lifted up by two flying beasts, she squirmed as the beasts pulled on her arms attempting to rip her apart. Without hesitation, Kagome released the arrow, freeing the woman. She released another arrow to her right, destroying the beasts that had come up to attack her. Another arrow, to free a young man attempting to fight with a shovel as a weapon. Then more beasts to her front. Then a boy hiding beneath a cart.

Over and over Kagome fletched and released her arrows, first to protect the villagers, then to protect herself. Her muscles ached with the constant tension as she continued to use her arrows in a manner faster than she had ever been asked to.

 _Dang it. I can't keep this up! But I can't give up! I won't give up! It sure would help if Inuyasha was around though. And Sesshomaru… I hope he's okay… But I can't worry about that now. I need to think of something! Quick!_

Regardless of how many arrows she released or of how many beasts she destroyed, only more seemed to appear like an infestation that could not be weeded out. Her arrows were proving useless as the flying beasts began to spiral around the village more ferociously, creating a wall between Kagome and the villagers now hidden behind the wall of dark beasts.

Unable to see the villagers, unable to rescue them from where she stood, and unable to defeat all the beasts on her own, Kagome was at a loss. A handful of flying beasts diverted from their path and swooped down towards her. With a yelp she lunged out of the way, landing on the dirt with a hard _thump_ before forcing herself up and dodging yet another attack. No time think or catch her breath Kagome briefly wondered how she would ever help the villagers now. How she would ever reach her friends.

The beasts continued their chase, ever so subtly pushing her further and further away from the wall they had created. _Geez! What's with these things? It's like they're trying to keep me away. Wait a second- that's it!_

Turning around, Kagome stared at the wall. The imperishable, unbreakable wall, unable to be shattered from the outside. But what about from within? It must be breakable if the beasts were chasing her away, and any idea was worth the try.

"Think you can scare me off from saving my friends?" Kagome shouted as she aimed her arrow, "Well think again! Take this!"

Her arrow shined brightly, eradicating the beasts as she ran past them and towards the wall. With another arrow, she braced herself, pulled it against the string as she ran, and released it when she stood face to face with the wall of beasts, creating an opening barely big enough for her to slide through. As soon as she charged in, the opening behind closed up.

It was a storm within the encasement. Violent, and terrifying. Blood fell down from above like rain. Rushing beasts thrashed Kagome around like heavy winds of a hurricane. Heat stuck to her like a noose around her neck, unbearable to breathe through.

And the darkness. Kagome couldn't see five feet in front of her The beasts were blocking out all the light, flying and chasing around so that the only thing she could see was movement. _Gotta clear the way_ …

She reached for an arrow, touched its feather, and then was pulled to the ground. Kagome screamed as thorned tongues wrapped themselves around her arms and legs. They punctured her flesh. Drew blood. In her wounds they poured in their poison, enticing her nerves to feel inflamed and burned with pain. Kagome's throat became raw with her screaming, shouting for help and calling out names as the beasts that held her down stalked up closer to her with more beasts appearing around her with every second.

"Get off of me!" Kagome yelled as she squirmed, attempting to free herself from their grasp. And then they were gone.

The beasts vanished as hot demonic flame consumed them from a boomerang that had effectively tore each beast it came in contact with apart. The air still echoed with the weapons by the time Kagome had been freed, _Hiraikotsu._

"Kagome!" Sango shouted and she ran up towards her friend who was still lying on the floor from shock. Sango inspected Kagome, whose calves and forearms had been injured, and whose clothes and hair were soaked with the blood of villagers that had perished above them. "Kagome, are you alright?"

"Eh- Thanks Sango. I thought I was a goner there for a second."

"We will be if we don't get back to Miroku and the others. Can you stand?"

"Y-Yes. Don't worry about me just lead the way."

Kagome followed behind Sango in a wobbly pace, her calves still burning from whatever those demons had injected into her. She could heal herself, but not until after they got rid of these creeps. Not until she could actually sit down and concentrate.

Sango kept a quick pace, attacking beasts with every step she took, completely aware of Kagome's weakened mobility but knowing that if they let up for a second, it could be the end of them. The distance wasn't far from where Sango had found Kagome. She hadn't been able to expand their radius like she had hoped, for whenever she managed the clear out a certain number of beasts only more would appear.

Miroku and Kaede still held the barrier up. Rin created her own, smaller version of barrier within that one, surrounding herself as well as the other children and villagers that had managed to make it underneath their protection. All of this as a type of last stand, just in case Miroku and Kaede failed to hold up their barrier. For show really, because if they did fail, and were unable to erect the barrier once again, Rin and the others would surely die. It gave a sense of security though, despite the tremulous nature of Rin's barrier, and that gave Miroku and Kaede the ability to concentrate more on their barrier, instead of worried villagers on a frantic.

Sango and Kagome rushed into the barrier, with Kagome falling to her knees the moment she passed through. Her legs had begun to feel numb.

"Lady Kagome!" Rin called, briefly losing her hold on her barrier from excitement before realizing her mistake and summoning it up again.

"Ye have made it child. What a relief. I pray ye are alright."

"Ah- Kagome! Please forgive us. We are thoroughly happy to see you, and undoubtedly would like to express that more effectively, unfortunately- keh- we're a bit- ah- preoccupied at the moment!"

"Stay focused, monk. Now is not the time to get sentimental."

"Right, of course."

"S' okay." Kagome groaned as she forced herself to stand. She thought of healing herself now, and with this brief moment of reprise inside a safe, confined space, maybe she would have enough time to. But each second she would waste doing that, was another second that a villager was most likely being torn to shreds.

"Kagome are you sure you should be moving around? Those injuries look serious." Sango asked.

"I'll be fine. More importantly, we need to figure out a way to get out of here! And hopefully get rid of whatever these things are for good!"

"Yes, I agree, but nothing we've been trying seems to be working. Kirara and I have been taking out as many I can, but more just seem to appear. Miroku and Lady Kaede have been holding up the barrier ever since those _beasts_ trapped us in here, and with their never ending attacks against, there's no telling how much longer the barrier will last."

"Trying to take them out one by one won't work. I tried that outside and all it got me was wasted arrows. If we- Ow-" Kagome's numbing fingers collapsed over her shoulder, covering themselves with blood as her skin was scorched open, "What the-?" Looking up, she saw a familiar sight. A collection of beasts licking at the barrier as their saliva pooled and dripped down towards them. "They're eating the barrier!"

"Oh no you don't!" Hiraikotsu flew up in a blaze, and skimming across the barrier, destroyed the collection of beasts. "There. If only the barrier was strong enough to fight them off by itself. Then we wouldn't have to worry about looking above us all the time."

"The barrier! Sango, you're a genius!"

"Well I appreciate the compliment, but what exactly did I say. Eh- Kagome!" Sango called out as Kagome stumbled off towards Miroku.

"Miroku! Miroku!" Kagome cried out as she fell beside him. Her legs were beginning to feel about as useful as tentacles without suction cups, but if this plan worked, and that was a big if fully dependent of Kagome's skill, they'd be rid of these beasts by dinner time and leaving Kagome plenty of time to heal hers and everyone else's injuries.

"Please not now, Kagome. I must stay focused." Sweat was dripping off of Miroku's brow from the taxing effort of constantly remedying a large barrier incapable of standing against these creatures effectively. How much longer could his spirit last pushing this much energy out?

"I know but I need your help for just a second." Kagome spoke rapidly at the immobile monk, his eyes shut tightly in strainful concentration.

"What is it?"

"I need some of your barrier sutras."

"We've already put sutras all across the area. Adding any more won't do us any good. It won't make the barrier stronger."

"I don't plan on using it to make the barrier stronger! I plan on using it as a weapon!"

There was a pause as Miroku attempted to understand what it was that Kagome had in mind, but recalling that he never had a knack in understanding women thoughts, he resigned to just giving her what she needed.

"Satchel to my left. In the back pocket."

"Thanks Miroku!" Kagome offered as she pulled out the sutras right where he said they were, "I owe ya one!"

"If whatever you plan works, I'll be the one who owes you!"

"Be careful, child."

"I will, thanks!"

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Sango asked as she watch her friend fumbly twist a barrier sutra around an arrow and notching it on the string.

"Call Kirara back, Sango."

"Why?"

"Trust me, if this works, you do not want her out there." Kagome shut her eyes as she listened to Sango call back her feline friend, taking a deep breath as she readied herself. _Please let this work. Please._ When she opened her eyes, Kirara was passing the barrier and flying towards Sango. This was it. It was now or never.

Kagome pulled the string of her bow back, her numb fingers feeling foreign to her and making her gnaw at her lip in doubt. Her arrow needed to be steady! She pulled her arm back more, hoping to force her arrow to obey even if her fingers would not and aimed and what she hoped would be the mark where the edge of the encasement was. In this darkness, it was still too hard to tell where anything was outside the barrier.

"Here we go-"

" _-Aim higher!-"_ A voice called out from within Kagome's head, a voice she had never heard before.

 _W-what? What was that?! Where did it come from?!_ Startled stiff, Kagome did not move. She did not release her arrow, she did not relax. Beyond a doubt, she knew she heard a voice, as clear as day, as if someone had spoken straight to her ear. But it had come from inside her head! A woman's voice, full of urgency and command, yet still gentle and concerned. _It-It said to… aim higher…_ With a swallow to shove her uncertainty, and worry that she might be going insane, down her throat, Kagome did as the voice said and lifted her arms up higher; aiming her arrow higher. And then, with a prayer, she released it.

A second passed with nothing happening. Did she fail? Was it a useless idea all along? What were they going to do now? Then, as the peak of her doubt began to touch at her eyes, there was a light.

A bang rang out like an explosion as the pink light shined out, illuminating the darkness and dissolving a number of beasts. As Kagome's eyes adjusted she could see the source of the light; a barrier, with electric energy rushing across it and arching out towards any nearby beasts and any nearby those. Archs, the shape of her bow, or the course of an arrow, causing a chain reaction and eliminating hundreds of beasts, and just beyond the barrier, she could see the light from the outside.

"Woah. I can't believe that worked." Kagome muttered meekly, trying the hide her abundant enthusiasm.

"Look!" Sango called out pointing towards the sky full of beasts. A sky full of beasts running away from the barrier Kagome had created. They were dissipating right before their eyes, the encasement they had trapped everyone in dissolving with their fear. "Now's our chance! We have to get everyone out of here! Kirara!"

Kaede continued to hold the barrier up, protecting those within from the beasts that ran and flew past them, incase any of them attempted to attack them while Sango loaded villagers onto Kirara's back, while Miroku moved to the offensive, attacking with his staff and sutras any beasts he could get his hands on.

"Nice work, Kagome!" Miroku applauded as he struck his staff against a beast's head, "But they're already starting to regroup! Think you can do it again?"

"No problem." Kagome said confidently as she shot another arrow, clearing the path for Sango and Kirara as they rushed villagers out of the site, and then ran back to collect more and more. They continued to do this, Kagome clearing the path while Miroku protected her, Kaede keeping the barrier up around the villagers while Sango and Kirara cleared everyone out. This was working. They were winning.

"Miroku! Kagome! These are the last ones!" Sango called out from behind them as she placed her children and Rin onto Kirara's back with a set of old couples ready to run across with them.

"Right!" Kagome responded, still in disbelief that everything was actually going to plan and yet completely eager to rush to victory. _This is it, girl. Just a few more arrows, and then everyone will be safe. Sango and Miroku can handle the last few beasts left, and I can finally make sure Sesshomaru is okay too. Just a few… more…_ Kagome's fingers reached out above her quiver, searching for feathers or wood, but finding only air. _Oh no! Don't tell me!_

"Kagome! Look out!" Miroku, struggling to fight off a beast with his staff called out, forcing Kagome's attention to the sky above her. It was flying down towards her, tongue lashed out and talons poised to snatch her up, and all she could feel was the numbness in her legs. They couldn't move, and she couldn't dodge.

Kagome flinched away, shutting her eyes and squatting down, wishing she could curl into herself and disappear, but knowing that in a second, she'd feel the talons pinch her at the shoulders while a thorn tongue would wrap itself around her. She screamed.

A thunderous voice shouted out though, overshadowing her scream with a declaration of it's own as the call "Bakusaiga!" was heard across the village. A long her back, Kagome could feel her spine tremble from the reverberations of the green energy purging out the air above, whipping the air as violently as the beasts had before.

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Well, that's the end of that. Speaking of the end, I'm not really happy with where I ended it, but it seemed the best place to do so since the rest of it slows down in pace (obviously). Anyway, besides some rushed dialogue, I'm content with this, and I didn't want to keep yall waiting any longer -or give myself the chance to do something stupid again- and I hope yall like it too.

Before I say bye, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who responded to my request for some critique! Yall are the best supporters and really uplifting, and I enjoy reading what yall have to say about my story thus far. It really gives me confidence as a writer, and I am super thankful to have such a wonderful crowd of followers who are willing to take their time to send a review! Thank you all so much!

I'll see you again in a few weeks! Until then, I hope this installment holds yall over! Bye bye!


	14. Chapter 13:The Mountain of PurpleFlowers

Hello, everyone!

It's chapter 13 time, and we are _finally_ gettin some Inuyasha back into this story!

Now before I send you off on your merry way to read this, a few warnings. While the MPAA may not consider this worthy of a warning, I feel I should just put this out there just in case. There is some adult language- like one or two, depending on what you classify as adult language I guess. In my opinion, there is only one but moving on-. There's a chance it already made its debut in previous chapters but I can't remember so we're getting the warning now :P

And of course, blood! Gore! And Muhahaha!- not really, this chapter is pretty tame-

So, with that out of the way, please enjoy! As always, please follow, favorite, review- you know. the works- especially if you haven't already. I receive the notifications on my phone and it's always really exciting when I see either one of those things. To those of you who have wondered, this does mean that I read every review. And PM's. I may not respond- cause I'm slightly anti-social and get really nervous when it comes down to it. I just... stare at the message, in the middle of the night. My phone the only source of light in the pitch darkness, as I nervously chew at the sides of my fingers- never my fingernails. Not sure why. It's just a quirk of mine- wondering what do I say? How do I respond? Only to fall asleep and begin the process again the next night until I officially surrender, leaving no response and just appreciating the message. Yup, that's basically what I go through... MOVING ON!

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Chapter 13: The Mountain of Purple Flowers

Gravel was embedded in his open chest wound. The small, rough pebbles and aggregate clumped together in a mixture with his blood that slowly oozed out of his raw, torn skin. Like salt in the wound, it irritated him into waking from his hungover slumber.

Upon the cold, wet floor, Inuyasha dragged his senses out from their foggy stupor, reeling his consciousness into an inconsistent alertness. The aridity of his lips was next to catch his perplexed perceptions. Adhered together, as if coated in plaster or glue, he forced his lips apart, gulping in a breath of thinned air. Cold oxygen rushed into his vacant lungs, rattling them as if he had inhaled icy water and triggering a triad of violent coughs.

With bones as heavy as hardened cement, Inuyasha groaned as he blinked his crusted eyes open. Red painted the cave floor under him, reflecting a crimson version of himself. A large gash across his forehead accentuated the image.

"Damn," Inuyasha mumbled, struggling to rise only to slump back onto puddle with a splash. Shifting from his uncomfortable position, he pulled his arms out from under him revealing his bloodied fingers. Lifting one arm up, he allowed the blood to slowly drip from his claws; his blood. The small draft in the cave confirmed that fact with the scent that it carried.

Rolling onto his back, Inuyasha placed his hand upon his chest. His haori was pulled apart, exposing his hanju-ban, or what was left of it anyway. The white fabric was now a bright scarlet, the blood still fresh on its shredded pieces. Specs of the fabric were deeply ingrained within his wounds, pressed against the walls of the gashes that ran from one pectoral to the other.

"What… happened to me?" He traced his fingers along the cuts, his claws fitting perfectly within. He struggled to remember anything, his memory returning to him in brief flashes too quick to distinguish any real knowledge from. A few quick recollections of passing trees. A short memory of enhanced strength that tore his muscles apart. The residual dull aches from a deep sorrow that he distinctly recalled but could not determine its source instantaneously. Scraping and prodding against the lapses in his memories he continued to dig at his subconscious that held his repressed history hostage. The majority that came back to him was blackness but then, amongst the thickest of his repression, came small, flickering images. A woman with fiery red hair, her taunting grin smiling at Inuyasha's suffering. The clasp of her hand around a delicate neck. A hand reaching out to him.

Like a crack in a dam splitting open, his memories rushed at him like a flood. They carried an insufferable pain, the discordance of his soul filled with dejection and disparity that made their home in the chambers of his heart. His damnable beating heart, which carried on in its rhythm despite the dismaying, emotional death he had endured, and it shouldn't have been beating! It shouldn't have been beating! Not when she was-

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted, puncturing his chest with his claws, arching his back from emotional agony. Hot tears fell down the sides of his face as his screaming continued, the full memory of seeing her, of knowing she was alive while being held captive, tortured, was firmly redefined in consciousness.

He could feel his blood begin to stir, the demon side of him scratching to take control again but it too had been exhausted from its previous exploit. _Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo!_ His mind rambled insanely, consumed by her memory, by her scent, her voice, her name, repeating it endlessly as if it were a prayer. His beloved Kikyo.

Unable to withstand lying still as these consumable thoughts rampaged his mind, Inuyasha groaned into rising, another succession of coughs escaping his lips as he relied on the cave's wall for support. With one hand dragging along the rocky surface, Inuyasha stepped out of the small cave and into the lit dusk.

The cold air was a welcomed relief and was especially enjoyed by his wounds that gladly accepted the chill. A quick glance around the area and Inuyasha knew he had no idea where he was.

Two peaks of a mountain faced each other, forming a deep valley below where flowers upon flowers painted the glen in shades of purples and violets. Water from the melted snow at the peaks trickled downward forming thin, short waterfalls that flooded the flowers, making them sway with the movement of water. A vision like some kind of plasma moving in currents, both beautiful and mystifying. But Inuyasha didn't care much for its beauty.

He wanted to find out where he was. Find his way home. Hopefully, his friends, whom he had abandoned, would still be willing to help him find Kikyo. Kagome, if he remembered correctly, had said that they would, but everything after that was blank save those short, blurry images of jumping through the air. And the scream. Oh, kami. He must have frightened someone awful when he had transformed.

Sluggishly, Inuyasha jumped down the side of the mountain, passing through the misty clouds that speckled the area from this height. With his mind fixed on home and Kikyo, Inuyasha continued to jump down ledge after ledge, overlooking the similarity that each ledge had to its predecessor.

In fact, the more he seemed to jump down, the more he seemed to not be moving at all. The cut of the mountain never changed. Clouds reappeared where others were before. The valley was never any closer. It took him longer than it should have for Inuyasha to notice this phenomenon. If only he had noticed the cave sooner, which constantly remained at his backside. He wouldn't have wasted so much time.

When he did notice, he fell to his knees, cursing. "Damnit! What the hell is going on here?!" The gravel felt rough against his knuckles as he pounded his fist into the ground rhythmically as if he were pounding the very emotions that stirred inside him. It was mildly liberating, providing a small sense of control as he reflected on himself, on Kikyo, and the lynching belief that he refused to acknowledge whispering in the shadows of his mind. The belief that he had failed her, that he had always failed her, and that in his attempts to save her, he would only fail again.

The voice that responded to his exclamation was spoken in a nearly silent whisper, so much so that Inuyasha almost mistook it for a turn in the wind. It was a woman's voice, gentle in the currents of the wind, calling out his name. A voice he seemed to recognize.

Following the direction from which it came, Inuyasha hiked along a narrow path that hugged the mountain. Passing crevasses and short ledges, craggy stone ways and slippery, moss covered boulders, the voice gradually became louder and louder, carrying an ethereal tone.

"Inuyasha," it called out, and refraining from hope, Inuyasha listened to pitch of Kikyo's voice. Could it really be her? Should he even believe it? Maybe his mind was tricking him. The voice carried such a heavy echo, he could easily have made a mistake.

He found the voice coming from a crack in the mountain, a tight squeeze of a tunnel that he shuffled through, leading out into a grotto. A vibrant tree glimmered in the sunlight, sprouting out from the edge of a circular pond that reflected the light like a shattered mirror. A line of rocks outlined its perimeter and curved at the center from one side to the other with two large stones on either side of that line. It was a calming area. Tranquil.

And sitting before the tree, within the pond as her long, white hair floated on the ripples of water, was a woman in white. Light showered her presence, illuminating her like a star, but her figure was transparent, begging the question of whether she was really there at all. Was he seeing things?

"Inuyasha, you finally came." The woman spoke, her back turned to him as she stood up, rising with unsettling grace. Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound of her voice as an internal alarm rang out with certainty that the woman in front of her was Kikyo. Even the fragrance in the air mimicked her scent. But the white, ghostly figure… it couldn't be her. Even if her hair and figure from behind resembled her. If it was her… what would it mean?

"Who are you?! Are you…"

"Who?" The woman asked, turning around to face Inuyasha, bringing about shock and confusion. Short bangs fell over her eyebrows with the rest of her hair looped back into her ponytail. Contemplative eyes against transparent, alabaster-white skin met him, an adoring look befalling them as a gentle smile appeared on her face. He was so stunned that he struggled to say her name, to even believe it was her. But it had to be, even with her bleached white hair or her ghostly skin. It had to be her; his Chinese Bellflower.

"K-Kikyo?"

She tilted her head down, her eyes closing for a moment as if panged by a sudden onslaught of guilt or distress. When she looked at him again, her eyes were filled with sympathy and sorrow.

"No, Inuyasha. I am not Kikyo."

"But… if that's true, then how come you look so much like her?! How do you know who I am?! And Kikyo! Do you know where she is?! Do you have her?! Who the hell are you?!-"

The doppelganger lifted her hand, motioning him to calm down and be silent. She waited to speak until he complied, patiently waiting until he took a few breaths after his rant.

"Inuyasha, my name is Amellis, and I am appearing to you through the connection that Kikyo's heart has with you. This is why I resemble her. It's how your heart chooses to see me."

"You're- what? My heart? Listen, even if I were to believe it, none of what you're saying makes sense! Not that it matters anyway. What does matter is where is Kikyo?! Where do you have her?! Tell me or I swear-"

"I am with Kikyo, Inuyasha, but it is not as you presume. I do not have her."

"What do you mean?"

"I am a prisoner. Beside her."

"A prisoner…" Inuyasha whispered, his aggressive demeanor shifting to a saddened disposition. He knew it was true before, but hearing it… his heart ached at the mention of Kikyo's imprisonment.

"Yes, and I'm here to tell you-"

"Where? Tell me where you two are! My friends and I, we can help you! We can rescue-"

"I don't know where we are, Inuyasha. I haven't been privileged to see the sunlight with my own eyes in many years. I am sorry."

Silence fell between the two of them, despondency clinging to the air for a few minutes as they wallowed in their sadness. Amellis, unwilling to immerse herself in self-pity for too long, stepped out of the water, the ripples reaching the edges of the pond on either side of the curved line and accentuating a key point in what the symbol meant; the unity of the yin and yang.

"Inuyasha, tell me. How much are you willing to surrender in order to save Kikyo?"

"Why are you even asking?! Anything! Everything! None of it matters without Kikyo! I'd give up my life if it meant I could save her!"

"Even Kagome?"

Flinching back involuntarily, Inuyasha remained silent unable to respond. How could he answer that? _Even Kagome? Of course not! I could never do that to her. But then… Kikyo…_

"I assume your silence means no?"

Inuyasha grumbled in response.

"In that case, likewise I must ask how much would you surrender in order to save Kagome? Would you be willing to give up Kikyo?"

"Why are you asking me these questions? What's this have to do with anything?"

"... Their lives depend on it…"

Amellis could feel his confused gaze upon her. The scrunched up eyebrows. The questioning amber eyes. She could imagine it perfectly, the part of Kikyo's connection influencing Amellis's imagination. She was beginning to feel the strain of all this, projecting her soul through the means of a priestess's spirit that was being tortured. Her presence felt shaky at best, and her consciousness felt afloat as if she were inhaling a large amount of smoke that choked off her brain. _Not much longer_ she thought to herself before motioning to Inuyasha to stand beside her.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, his speculation rising.

"Look at the water, Inuyasha, and tell me what you see."

"Keh. It's just a big puddle of water. Ain't nothing special about it. How 'bout you tell me what you meant right now-"

"Look at the water!" Amellis demanded, surprising Inuyasha. How either woman of his affections could tolerate his stubborn self-righteousness Amellis could not understand, but at least he was listening to her now.

The water was a conjuration of her own inspiration, a fabrication created from her vision that she manipulated to project images of her choosing. The water was false. The area, however, with its natural formations of the grotto, the tree, and even the rocks that lined the pond into the iconic symbol was considered a holy place and gave her the ability to manifest the images of Kikyo and Kagome.

Kikyo resided on the side of yin, the water becoming dark with her image, while Kagome resided on the side of yang, the water on her side turning white. Both women on a side of the same coin, and yet remarkably different.

"Huh? But that's Kikyo… and Kagome… I don't understand."

"You don't? Look at them, Inuyasha. Are they not perfectly represented here?"

"What's it gotta do with me?" Inuyasha asked, folding his arms beneath his haori. He wanted to hide how sweaty his palms had become. How nervous he had become.

"You're at the center of it, Inuyasha. You're the one that tears them apart. You'll be the deciding factor of whether they will live or die."

"I'll protect both of them. I always have-"

"No, you've always left them in danger. At moments where they thought you would protect them, you left because of your selfishness."

Inuyasha's ears fell flat as he ground his teeth. A hotness burned inside him making everything raw. His sharp breathing, the quickening pace of his heart, the tension in his muscles. He felt it all, down to the microfibers, and in his mind the only thought that passed through was _bitch_.

"You're angry."

"No shit. And say, where the hell do get off thinking you can say this crap about me, huh? Talking as if you know me-"

"But I do know you, Inuyasha. I know you through Kikyo and Kagome. Through the lives, I've witnessed them go through."

"Keh, yeah right! And I'm just supposed to take your word on that huh? You know, you haven't exactly convinced me that you're not a bad guy either. What's to stop me from slicing you two and shutting you up?!"

"Because then you wouldn't know how to save them."

Silence echoed between them again, an unsettling silence filled with reluctant complacency, and for a moment, as Inuyasha turned away, it seemed that the conversation was over. But Inuyasha never left. He simply chose to not look at her anymore. Was that because of his anger, or because he couldn't look into Kikyo's face anymore knowing it wasn't really her?

"Well? You gonna tell me how or what?"

Amellis smiled sympathetically. This poor half demon was filled with so much emotion, and given the nature of his blood she could hardly blame him for struggling to control them. Of course, that could have easily been Kikyo's side influencing her, as she found Inuyasha rather difficult to work with.

"Inuyasha, I know the reason why you are angry is that you know I am right, and you'd rather be angry about it instead of accepting it-"

"You're shrink'n me know?" Inuyasha remarked over his shoulder, clearly unamused.

"Fine," Amellis replied, her own annoyance showing through as she decided to remove all subtly. He wanted straightforward so she would give him straightforward. "Inuyasha, you are constantly discontent. When you have one woman in your arms you hunger for the other and vice versa. In doing so you have caused hatred between them, have separated them, and not only that but you have made them weaker! You have caused so much damage to their spirits and have unbalanced them! You are the reason for so many of their insecurities and self-doubt-"

"I know, okay!" Inuyasha lashed out, his hands in a fist as he swung them to his side unable to control himself for much longer and simply hoping that this Kikyo imposter would shut the hell up. He didn't want to hear these words, to listen as they came out in Kikyo's voice. He didn't want to hear how he had hurt her or Kagome. "... I know… okay?" he said calmly, his shoulders slumping over with his guilt, containing the dejection that raged inside him.

"Inuyasha," Amellis spoke, calming down herself, "you need to choose one."

"What?" Inuyasha questioned, finally turning back around to look at her.

Amellis exhaled a breath she had been holding in, taking a moment to collect her words before speaking.

"As long as you continue to sway between these two women… Inuyasha you'll only make them weaker, and they won't be able to survive against my mother if they remain that way."

"You're mother?"

"Yes," Amellis confirmed, feeling weaker herself as she admitted this fact. "She plays against emotions. Uses them to her advantage to make her opponents fall. She finds it… entertaining. And with the damage you have caused, you've only made Kikyo and Kagome easy targets."

"I've promised to protect them both-"

"If you try to fulfill your promise, Inuyasha, they will both die. But if you chose to protect only one, there is a chance they'll both survive."

"A chance?! You want me to do this based on a chance?!"

"It's the only hope they've got!" Amellis shouted, pointing at the water. She could hardly believe how easily this boy could make her lose her temper. Perhaps it was simply the strain though. With each passing second, she was feeling more exhausted, as was Kikyo's spirit, which was already near collapse. The fact of the matter was that she didn't have enough time, and Inuyasha acted as though she had all the time in the world. She was fading, her transparency increasing, and he was completely oblivious.

"I don't have time for this." She spoke plainly, reclaiming Inuyasha's attention who was self-absorbed in his own thoughts full of denial. "I'm already fading-"

"Wait a second! You can't go yet! I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do…"

"I've already told you. You have to choose one, Inuyasha. Or do you honestly prefer to cause them more suffering just to fulfill your selfish lustful appetite?"

"But I can protect them-"

"Kagome has already been attacked! And where were you? Blacked out as your demon blood controlled you without any direction."

Inuyasha flinched. What did she say? Had he heard her correctly? Kagome was attacked? No, it couldn't have been true. But what if it was? What if she was still in danger?

"I… I have to go… I have to save her!-"

"You're brother has already saved her, Inuyasha. He's kept her safe." As she spoke, Amellis expected relief from Inuyasha, so it was a surprise when what she did receive was a look of disbelief; a disgruntled, disgusted look of disbelief coated with jealousy as though he had learned that another dog had taken up to chewing his favorite bone. It was all so childish and petty in her eyes and what seemed to be Inuyasha's lack of perspective was utterly baffling. "Inuyasha, your brother has already succeeded in what you failed to do; protect Kagome. Do you understand what I mean now? By choosing one you won't be abandoning the other. You'll be giving them a chance to find another source of protection."

"I… Are you saying I should choose Kikyo? To actually believe that my murderous prick of a brother would really choose to protect Kagome without some sort of self-gain involved? Or anyone else for that matter?"

"I can't tell you who to chose, or what to believe. Whether someone else will step in to protect them or they learn to protect themselves is something I cannot predict. I can only tell you to chose one. You will all be better for it. Stronger, and more capable of surviving."

"You can't give me some advice? How do I keep them both alive? Who should I chose?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know." She lowered her head, much like she had before when she clarified who she was, carrying the burden of disappointment. Her shoulders hunched, and she averted her eyes away from Inuyasha, focusing on her clasped hands as she folded and unfolded her fingers around each other. The transparency of her skin held the solidity of steam in the air, and each time she closed her eyes she could see the dark pit, hear the vile roaring and the sorrowful screaming. It was time to say goodbye.

"Keh. Well, maybe you could be more helpful next time I see ya, huh?" Inuyasha prompted, catching that her increase in transparency meant she wasn't to be here for much longer and believing that there would be a next time. As if she'd ever could do this again.

"No," Amellis responded, "you won't be seeing me again."

"Why not?"

"I was only able to this now because of this place. This former holy place that you managed to find your way to and that I could still connect to. That, and my current isolation."

"What do you mean?"

"My mother is gone. Out for a walk, or so she said. I'm not sure what it means but it is not something she does regularly. She must be up to something, but what I do not know, only that it won't be good. But given the circumstance, it has left Kikyo and I relatively alone for the moment, demons with little to no intelligence aside, and that gave me the opportunity to work through her even in her tormented state."

"So that's it, huh? Come here to give me an ultimatum, tell me how Kikyo's being tortured, and then just leave?"

"There is one more thing, Inuyasha." Her voice came out as an echo, matching her disappearing figure. It hadn't crossed her mind before, this one piece of information that even he would find useful because it was something she had already gotten used to. Something she had been accustomed to ignoring. But now, as her senses had spent time away from her body, she noticed it as she drifted back into the pit. "Where Kikyo and I are being held," she spoke rapidly, "beneath the earth, I can hear the w…"

She faded away before she could finish speaking, her figure turning to catch Inuyasha's eye as she disappeared into a light mist imploding into an anchored point in the air. Her voice echoed in existence for a few breaths longer, carrying the partial clue she aimed to give him when she was already gone. When it vanished, so too did the light. As did the leaves in the tree. The green in the grass. The water in the pond.

Within seconds, the luscious grotto became dry and barren, slathered in the brown tint of the clay formations. The tree was black and skeletal, with matching dead shrubby spotting the area around the empty, cracked crater in the ground that was the pond. Life left with her, that random woman that he was still suspicious about, but her absence made Inuyasha feel… unsettled.

Suddenly this place appeared more familiar, as though he had been here before and it was a place that carried a heavy significance to him. A horrifying, demoralizing significance.

Inuyasha stepped out of the grotto, the short, craggy tunnel being more unstable now than it had been when he first passed through. The changes carried onto the mountain side, where clouds of smoke loomed above where no ice caps resided; only the ashen soot upon the peaks. There were no waterfalls, no vegetation, no flowers. Only the miasma which soaked itself into the air and the river below. A river of purple flowers was what it had been before but it had changed just as everything else had. Or had a veil of falsehood simply been removed?

Inuyasha knew this place. He had suffered here. Had lost someone here, or so he had believed. For days he had carried that suffering; the loss of someone he loved. For weeks this place was a grave marker. Mount Hakurei had never seen more poisonous. He traversed carefully down the brittle mountainside, past the river, and past the toxic, abandoned villages. It took a great distance to remove himself from the airborne folds and pockets of miasma, but he found coverage in the woods where he took a pause to rest and examine his wounds and contemplate his encounter with Amellis, the woman in Kikyo's image.

His wounds were taking slightly longer than usual to live, most likely due to the overuse of his demon blood, but they no longer ached as they had when he awoke. Given a day, or maybe less, and they would be gone. It was good news, as was what he learned from Amellis. Or so he told himself. She had given him clues to find them, a place underground with something starting with a "w" near by. He could share this information with his friends, and they could start their search with an idea of where to start looking. It was good news. So why did he delay in leaving? Why did he sit there, waiting, as if the emptiness that had found a place inside him would subside? An ultimatum. That was what he was facing.

He thought of ignoring this 'advice' Amellis had given him, but as he thought of Kikyo, of where she was and what was happening to her, was he really willing to put anything to chance? Without an answer, he stood and began making his way through the trees again. Making his way home.

It was odd to see, then, the demons that emerged from the woods taking a course beside him. At first, he assumed they were there to attack him, but quickly realized that they gave no attention to him at all. Where ever they were heading, they moved in large numbers, and amongst the snarls and hissing, Inuyasha heard a number of demons call out a familiar phrase.

"The Shikon Jewel! I must possess the Shikon Jewel!"

* * *

Tehe... did you notice? For those of you who have done extensive research on the characters -looking them up on Wikipedia- you know I left a little trivia there. Tehe.

Anyway, quite a bit of stuff going on here. Inuyasha going home with an ultimatum. Amellis taking on a more active role. Her mother out for a "walk?" whatever that means. And the array of demons taking on the hunt for a jewel that was destroyed. Weird huh? I wonder what it all means.

Oh, and I recently discovered a post? site? with a better description of the characters clothing, so things down the line may or may not match previous descriptions -basically changing out the generic "kimono" for the proper term of their clothing if I can understand it correctly.-

So, that was the end of that chapter! See ya'll in a few weeks :)


	15. Chapter 14: Where One Belongs

Hello, everyone!

Lots of things have been going on around the world lately (natural disasters and what not) and I just wanted to say I hope that you and your family/friends are okay -regardless of whether you have been affected by the hurricanes, earthquakes, etc or not- and that everything and anything that has been weighing on you turns out okay.

While on this topic, I also would like to apologize for my delays in updating. Hurricane Harvey hit a little close to my home, but thankfully we received minimal flooding and nothing too serious happened to us. However, because of this, I could not devote a lot of time to my writing or update as soon as I would have liked to. To make up for it, I will try to come out with the next chapter sooner than normal, but it will also be shorter.

Okay, let's get the sobs out of the way and get on to what we're really here for. Sess/Kag spoof :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 14: Where One Belongs

He collected the ash into his hands. As he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together it carried the heat of a dead fire and blackened his skin. It didn't matter where he picked it up from. He could have collected it from any number of surfaces that surrounded him. The village was colored gray from its presence.

"Do you think me a liar, woman? I meant what I said." Sesshomaru responded to Kagome's mundane question. Something he had said, shortly after disposing of the residual scrapings of beasts, had irritated her, but he placed little thought to what she asked, responding without truly listening to her. His attention was focused elsewhere; on the ash that fell from the beasts' death that coated his hands and covered the village.

It called to him, like an essence of himself detached from its origin, begging to return to its owner yet carrying such an oddity that it remained foreign to Sesshomaru. What a strange sensation, the ebbing pull and repulsion. The recognition and disgust. It reminded of that aura he felt a few days ago when Inuyasha had transformed, leaving a broken priestess behind. Obviously, it was that woman he was informed about. A demoness by the sounds of it, and a powerful one at that. Especially if she was capable of creating those beasts whose jaki still resonated for a time after their death. But why was this jaki so… intimately familiar?

"Hn. Only a fool would risk his life by engaging in battle on a field with exploding purity." Sesshomaru remarked plainly at another one of the priestess's question. Her tone bordered accusation, but he held no qualms about it. She had been frightened, not only for her sake but also the sake of her friends, and had been attacked relentlessly. Presently, her heart still ran with that fear, his ears catching the drumming of its race beneath her facade of bravado. Because of this, he found himself at an odd point of understanding her but carrying such a heavy thirst of curiosity that he did no more than coast in conversation with her.

He needed to know more about this jaki and about this connection he felt with it. The endless questioning of _why_ was eating away at him like an irritating parasite that needed to be satiated. The decision to meet with his scholars was promptly made, and when the priestess asked where he was going as he walked away, he didn't respond.

Kagome was left alone on top of a mound of ash, dirt and rotted wood that was once a strong structure of a hut. Villagers slowly returned to the desecrated village. Their faces were dirty with ash and blood as tears streaked their faces, revealing the color of their skin hidden beneath their coated masks. With heavy feet, they walked somberly, and while some carried blank expressions brought upon by shock, others wailed loudly either from their grief or their gratitude at still being alive. No one looked towards her, and she, in turn, averted her eyes.

She looked towards Sango but discovered her in the embrace of her husband who kissed the top of her head as they held their children between them. Again, she looked away. Wherever her eyes fell she found discomfort crawling beneath her skin for who she saw herself to be. An encroacher. Intruder. Trespasser.

Like a wet rag over a flame, Kagome's once belief of accepted integration was put out and she was forced to face the dark truth. She had never been a full member of this village. Of this era. She had only ever been a visitor vacationing amongst this hamlet, and now the village was gone. As everyone clumped together in groups, small congregations of those with strong connections with one another, and with no one for her to go to, it was clear there was no place for her here. There never was. All she was, all she had ever been, was an outsider looking in.

~• •~

Throughout the day she had wiped away her tears that fell in singular drops with varying durations of times in between. To those who suspected and cared enough to ask, she had shooed them away with assurance that it had just been sweat gathered from a long day of work. No one ever asked twice.

Her fingers were tight and rigid while her forearms were hot and shaky. Between healing the injured and lifting the dead, it had been a workout both spiritually and physically. By the end of it, she had become numb, desensitized to the gore filled tasks she was given and effectively shutting off the part of herself that was affected by it. She ran on autopilot, acting and reacting as a robot until the day's impeding end called for rest until the morning.

The sun still lit the sky when this decision had been made, the last few hours being set aside for a village wide dinner that would be followed with everyone finding shelter at either Kaede's or Miroku and Sango's house, a sad notion that would have been impossible to employ prior. Now, it was reasonable.

Kagome found herself unneeded in these hours, the workings of Rin, Kaede, Sango, and Miroku being more than enough, and she separated herself from them during this time. Isolation was not something she routinely sought, and even now she wrestled with her loneliness. It did not appeal to her and she did not seek it willingly. Rather, she did so because she felt it was a necessity not for herself, but for the villagers.

This was not her struggle, it was theirs, and though her heart bled for what was lost she knew their hearts bled more. They needed this time to unite, to lean on and support each other in their suffering, and she would not interfere.

The path she followed weaved in and out of view from the village, and she was often in the cover of trees. Where the path would turn to go deeper into the forest, she would turn around afraid of what could be lurking in the shadows. What if those beasts returned for her and there was no one around to hear her scream? For safety measures, she had brought her bow and arrows this time around, but it did little to ease her fear. She clung to the areas illuminated in the amber glow of twilight, holding in her fear and insecurities as she hugged herself. There was very little she could do besides walk up and down the path as she waited for the time to pass.

She began to think about her home, the one that once waited beyond the well. And really, did she ever have another home? Her family was there, lost in the future and out of her grasps. Her school, her friends, and while she did have friends here, ones that she cherished and loved as though they were her family, she suddenly felt very dislodged from them; a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit in all the way.

Kagome was exhausted, sore to the bone, and depleted of energy both physically and mentally. A pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream, while she curled into her thin slab of a mattress, sounded reasonable in curing her downheartedness, but then she remembered that they hadn't invented ice cream yet. She sighed heavily.

It was selfish to think this way, she understood that. That didn't make it any better though.

Leaves on the floor crunched beneath his feet when he landed, but she remained oblivious to his presence. He purposely landed in front of her, at the center of the path, expecting that, in spite of her being lost in thought, his apparent arrival would eventually draw her attention. It did not, and she would have run into him had he not pressed two of his fingers against her forehead, forcing her to look up at him.

"Eh? Sesshomaru, you're back?"

"You seem to be lost, priestess. Your village is that way." he gestured with a short nod.

"Oh ha-ha. Very funny."

"Your laughter seems to indicate so."

"Pfft," Kagome huffed as she lightly nudged Sesshomaru's shoulder, who seemed to be enjoying messing with her a little too much for her taste, "whatever. Where the hell have you been anyway?! You just disappeared after this morning! We could have really used your help, ya know!... The least you could've done is lend us a hand or something…" she muttered the last part as she crossed her arms and turned her face to the side.

"Care to repeat yourself, priestess?"

"Oh- nothing, nothing!" _Darn dog probably heard me anyway and is just messing with me… again,_ Kagome thought as she waved her hand dismissively.

"Hn. This one is not obligated to help the villagers."

"Oh no. Don't you start talking all superior on me now. And there's nothing that says you can't help someone unless you're obligated. With your help, we'd probably be almost done by now, or at the very least have set up some shelter structures so they wouldn't have to cram themselves into the only two houses left." _At this point, I'll probably just end up sleeping outside. I think I'd prefer that anyway…_ Kagome bit the inside of her cheek and her eyes became hooded as her guilt and loneliness began to chew at her again.

"What was that?" Sesshomaru asked.

"You're really gonna make me repeat myself?"

"No, priestess. What was that? Why did you suddenly become… downhearted?"

"Oh…" Kagome blushed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I-It's… It's nothing. Don't worry about it-"

It took her by surprise when Sesshomaru then tucked a finger beneath her chin, grasping it in a light, soft pinch and tilted her head up so they looked at each other. Kagome didn't know how to react. Within her chest, her heart quickened its pace, and though she mentally willed it to calm, all that was gained was a reddening of her cheeks. She thought of moving away, but she felt frozen in Sesshomaru's gaze who looked at her inquisitively as though he was studying her or trying to read her. It was impossible to ignore or fight against.

In a motion that made her skin tingle with dancing electricity, Sesshomaru began to trace the bottom of her lip with the tip of his thumb, his claw grazing the aperture of her mouth that parted from a soft line into a subtle opening. She was tempted to close her eyes as she became awash with the feel-good sensations this simple touch gave her, but his gaze held her still, looking into her eyes as she looked into his.

"Very well," he finally spoke, "I shall 'lend a hand'." With nothing left to say, Sesshomaru abruptly let go of her chin and began to walk away.

"Wait, what?" Kagome was befuddled. More than befuddled, she was down right more confused now than she had been her whole life. Even more confused than that first time she had popped out of the well!

Rubbing her chin that still felt electrified, Kagome jogged up to walk by his side. She had begun chewing the inside of her cheek again as her brows came closer together with one notably higher than the other. _What in the… what just happened?! Did I just imagine that or something?_ It was difficult for her to keep up with him in both his steps and in his words, her confusion making her clumsy all around.

"Hn. It is as I said. This one shall help you rebuild your village. I cannot make it any more simple."

"Yeah, I got that. What I meant was I don't… I just…"

"Did you lose your tongue as well as your sense of direction?"

"Why you…" Kagome stomped her foot down, stopping both of their strides as her fists clutched at her sides. Her lips were set in an angry pout, and it was a look Sesshomaru knew very well but had rarely been at the end of.

"Planning on using the word of subjugation on me now, are we priestess? I'm interested in seeing how that fairs for you."

"Grr…" Kagome turned, facing her back towards him as she crossed her arms, "You know I can't you jerk... Even if you deserve it."

"Heh."

 _Was that a chuckle?!_ Kagome whipped around, hoping to catch whether what she heard was real or not, but Sesshomaru was already walking away when she looked back.

"Hey! Where are you going? The village is that way, remember?"

"I am aware, priestess, but there are other affairs I must attend to before beginning the medial tasks you undoubtedly have planned for me. You may follow, should you desire."

She hadn't noticed till he mentioned it, but she was already following him, taking quick steps to catch up with him again. They took the path leading deeper into the woods, one that eventually connected to the path leading towards the tree and the bloomed brightly in the oncoming autumn air and trees danced in new colors, but there were gashes and ashy residue where Sesshomaru had taken out the beasts that had followed her. Rays of light poured through, touching vibrant green plants and dull, gray ash; touching life and death. It was a strange sight to see, but it drew much admiration from Kagome.

Every so often, Sesshomaru would pause in their walk, as if he was searching for something, but would quickly resume walking shortly after with nothing in hand. At an unnumbered point of him doing so, Kagome tilted her head to the side with her hands clasped behind her back and bow and eyes slightly slanted; a curious minx formulating a question.

"What do you wish to ask me?" Sesshomaru prompted with what seemed to be a smirk.

"Hmm… you seem… happy."

"That was not a question, priestess."

"No, I guess not," Kagome spoke as she turned to walk at the front, head held high with her hands still behind her, "but I'd like to know why."

"Is that your form of a question?"

"Maybe."

"Hn," Sesshomaru trailed behind her. Amused by her little antics, he placed a quick pinch at the priestess' waist, causing her to jump and squeak at the sudden assault, effectively forcing her triumphant stride to stumble over itself as he reclaimed the leading position. He smirked at the busied priestess collecting herself as he passed her, catching her look of disbelief and shock. There was no mistaking what he had done or his playful reasons behind his actions, and while it baffled her and challenged all her conceptions of who Sesshomaru was, she also felt giddy. Giddy with a challenge.

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she gave a quick tug and giggled as she skipped ahead of his bewildered _lordship_ , taking her place victoriously at the front. Anticipation rode her in waves, tickling her abdomen as she briefly bit her lip in an attempt to hold her composure. Her body tensed as she thought of the many ways Sesshomaru could get back at her and with a large nervous grin, she spun around.

She nearly jumped from his startling proximity, which left only a few inches of air between them. He stood as though he had been doing nothing, but his eyes carried the secret that she had caught him in the middle of acting out his counter attack. Given how close he was, she wouldn't have been surprised if he had planned to fling her over his shoulder.

"Are you afraid of me, priestess?" He teased as she began to walk backward, nervously giggling with every step.

"Maybe. Or maybe I just want you to answer my question."

"You have not asked a question." He spoke matter-of-factly. Matching each step she took, he held onto their proximity, never letting the space between them grow. A predator staring down at its prey.

"You know what I want to know," Kagome said as she swayed in her awkward steps, attempting to move away from his dominating presence while also not tripping over what she could not see. It was not working out for her well.

"This one believes you are mistaken. I have no knowledge of what it is you want to know." He feigned innocence, but Kagome knew better, catching a quick flicker in his eyes that seem to whisper the words "check-mate". _Pfft. If he thinks I'll give in so easily he's got… Oh no._

She felt the bark grate against her hands before her shoulder blades were pinned against the structure. With a grimace she peeked up towards the tree that towered over her, almost mocking her with its height and girth. At the sound of Sesshomaru's footsteps coming closer, closing the already short space between them, Kagome shut her eyes and hunched her shoulders as if she could slink into some sort of shell like a turtle. This was it. Whatever devilish plans Sesshomaru had to get back at her were about to come to fruition. She tensed as her mind went wild with what he would do. Pinch her? Tickle her? Sling her over his shoulder like some sort of prize and then run off at such a speed that it would make her dizzy? Maybe tugging at his hair was not the best move… especially since she had never been brave enough to touch his hair before.

A small thought crept into her head as she readied herself for Sesshomaru's attack. It was a small reminder that all those assumptions were not something that would be considered likely to the rest of the world that knew Sesshomaru. Had anyone else done what she had done, a more reasonable outlook would be one's hands being torn from their bodies as Sesshomaru watched them writhe. But the notion was quickly deemed ridiculous and pushed aside without a second of lingering thought. They were not enemies. They were not two people simply tolerating the other person's presence. They were, dare she say, friends, who had managed to find some joy in this rather hellish day.

"You wish me to tell you what has made this Sesshomaru so content?" He whispered in the quivering priestess's ear, eliciting from her a nervous squeak of confirmation. The sound nearly made him laugh, his control being the only thing subverting his merriment, but had she looked up she would have seen the stoic, killing perfection smiling. To think, an actual smile. He had never felt the need to smile, not since he was a child at least. It was an unnecessary expression that held little to no merit in his eyes save frightening his underling from time to time, but this was entirely different. He smiled because, in that instance, he couldn't help it.

Because of this, he decided he would reward the priestess by ending their little game and giving her what she wanted to know. The news he had would affect her as well, and there was little to no doubt that she would become extremely excited once he told her.

"Very well. The answer to your question, priestess, is… this one knows how to find the red haired demoness."

Kagome's eyes shot open. In a flurry she whipped out towards him, bringing her hands to Sesshomaru's chest as she stood on her toes in an attempt to match the height of his gaze but still finding herself quite a few inches short.

"Woah, Woah! Wait a second?! Tell me you're not joking!"

"This one would not 'joke' about this, priestess," he spoke, slightly surprised at the enormity of the priestess's reaction as she attempted to detect any falsehood in his eyes. It was as he predicted; she was excited beyond measure, but she was skeptical, catching her excitement before it could get the better of her.

"So you're serious? You really think you could find her?!"

"I am certain."

 _I don't believe it…_ Kagome didn't know how to react. She wanted to scream, cry, jump in joy or dance! It all clashed within her. Was it really all this easy? She had been so worried about having to start another goose chase of a journey, yet here Sesshomaru was, equipped with the knowledge that would have taken them months to find. Maybe they should have gone straight to him when Naraku was around. Trying to convince him to not steal Tetsusaiga would have been easier than grueling all that time just walking across japan. And from what Kagome saw in his eyes and what she knew about him, she wholeheartedly believed every word Sesshomaru said. _This is it. We're going to find Kikyo. We're gonna save her. Then everything can go back to… However it's supposed to be…_

Without truly thinking, Kagome leaned back onto her heels, and then, unable to contain her gratitude, wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru. She hugged tightly, closing her eyes as her head rested on his chest as she pulled and squeezed, but she was certain her strength felt like nothing to him.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru," Kagome said, attempting to express her gratitude in any way she could since a hug was just not enough. He didn't hug her back. He didn't need to. The fact that he didn't push her and allowed her to hug him was enough to demonstrate that he was accepting her thanks.

Kagome wanted to hold on longer, finding the embrace to be rather comfortable on her end, but thinking how it might be uncomfortable for Sesshomaru, she pulled away. Before speaking she wiped her eyes, which had become moistened from her joy and disbelief

"Sorry, guess I got carried away," Kagome said, feeling the need to apologize for her sudden attack. She had pulled his hair and then she had hugged him; two things which he most definitely did not enjoy as much as she did.

"Hn," he responded casually, and she understood it was a short indication that he would be letting her antics slide just this once. The notion made her want to hug him all over again, but she refrained. Instead, she turned on her heel to continue their walk, with herself still in the lead.

"So then, what is it that we have to do?"

Sesshomaru was quick to match her pace and walk beside her, though she noticed how his steps kept him a few centimeters ahead. _This sly dog…_ Kagome smiled. She was enjoying how playful he was today. _Wow. Did I just really think that? Sesshomaru? Playful? Maybe I've lost my mind._

"Hn. ' _We_ ' needn't do anything. I've been informed that in order to locate her, we need a collection of the demonesses jaki."

"Who told you that?"

"My scholars."

"-Wait, hold up. Your scholars?"

"Hn."

"Huh. I never would have guessed." _I mean I knew about his palace, sure. It was all Jaken would brag about when I got back. It's just…_ Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, his stoic features with the hidden threat of death should anyone get in his way. Or just flat out annoy him. _How has he managed to not to kill them all?_ "So -Uh- A collection of her jaki huh? How exactly do we get that?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed, priestess."

"Uhm… I mean sure I noticed it. Who wouldn't… notice what, exactly?"

"Priestess, every ash pile we've come across has been radiating with the echo of that jaki."

"Oh? Well now that you mention it… but that doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't we have felt it back at the village?"

"You're purity has masked it. Nearly eliminated it. That was one issue my scholars came across when they examined what little had accumulated on my hands. It seems only I was able to sense it…"

"Why?"

He didn't respond, but his eyes flickered with a question she would never hear.

"Hmm… Okay, so we gather the jaki and then you take it back to your palace where your scholars will take care of the rest. Sounds easy enough."

"Yes, after I have taken care of your village, my scholars will have what they need."

"What do you mean after you take care of the village? You have the answer to all our problems, you said so yourself. The village can wait."

"I gave you my word, priestess."

"Oh screw that! It's not like you want to do it anyways so why would you put that before finding out where that demoness is?! That's stupid!"

At this Sesshomaru paused, giving her a quizzical look as if he deemed her remark as something contradictory to her nature. But that didn't make sense. In terms of priority, of course, she would want him to put the village after. Just him though. She didn't think she would have it in her to just leave without fixing up the place.

"Priestess," he began with Kagome eagerly waiting for an answer, "is that not what was upsetting you earlier?"

 _Huh?!_ It was not a response Kagome was expecting, and that reflected in the way she shifted, with eyes blinking rapidly as her poster became straighter.

"Uh… n-no…" She stammered, still lost amidst her shock.

"Then what was it?"

"Nothing. Why does it matter? You make it sound like you only agreed to help to make me feel better…" Kagome stopped. Sesshomaru's eyes cocked with a twinge that resembled distaste, as though something fowl had slithered down his throat. But this reaction didn't deter Kagome's conclusion. If anything, it solidified it.

"Don't presume to know me, priestess. I was simply curious."

 _Well, I'll be damned. He cares._

"Sesshomaru…" Kagome called, regaining his attention. She was happy to see that the cruelty in his face had given way to attentive hope. Of course, he would never say he was hoping, only that he was curious. Still, she pursed her lips together in a pensive expression as she came to terms with opening up to Sesshomaru while struggling with coming up with words on how to do so. "I, uh… heh… I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say."

"You don't need to tell me If you don't want to." He provided, though even she could tell behind his stoicism that there was a struggle for him to accept that.

"No, I… I think I'd actually like to tell you." She peeked up at him, gauging his response. He was looking down at her, his cool exterior expertly hiding any true emotions that she had been easily detecting before, but she was okay with this. In fact, she welcomed it. The calm, emotionless expression had an odd effect on her, allowing her to feel as though she would be listened to without any worry of judgment. It was almost strange how this simple look gave her the encouragement to tell him her woes when she had been so apprehensive before. Then again, was this not the reason why she always found herself confiding in Sesshomaru more than she did with any of her friends?

"I don't really know where to start."

"Start where you are comfortable."

"Okay." She smiled, and despite fumbling over her words and her disconnected sentences, she found her explanations making sense. By the time they arrived at the meadow that harbored the well she had completely divulged all the inner workings of loneliness and had emptied herself of all it's toxicity. Raw from her confession, she held a hand to her chest but congratulated herself for managing to withhold from blubbering like a sorrowful child. Tears were exhausting, and she had certainly grown tired of them. So she held her heartache inside, allowing the salve from her disclosure to soothe her emotional wounds as much as it could, and continued on with a hollow glimmer in her eyes.

Sesshomaru was uncertain in how to respond to the priestess. To say he sympathized with her was an understatement, but it was clear that their adoption of the sentiment was strikingly different. Solitude was a state he visited often, but there was a reason why he searched it out. Where he yearned for the silence that came with his seclusion, the priestess suffered in it and chafed with the desire for it to end. It was a state of mind he was unfamiliar with, but as they walked out into the meadow beneath the darkening sky he derived a certain recognition as to how deep the emotions were affecting the priestess. Like a light shining onto the shadows, Sesshomaru was suddenly able to see and asses what he hadn't been able to before, and he knew what to say to uplift her. She had said she felt alone, but she wasn't.

"I am here."

Sesshomaru's hand grazed Kagome's as he spoke, and she wondered if he had done that on purpose, though she doubted it. His words carried an enormous weight as it was, and to think of the momentary touch as intentional with the purpose of solidifying his statement would be too much for her to accept without tears falling loose from her eyes. It was true, he was here. He was always there whenever she needed someone, whether she voiced the need or not. He was there more than anyone else had ever been.

"Sesshomaru, can I tell you something?" She asked, her voice humming with gratitude.

Rather than responding verbally, he simply gave her a glancing confirmation over his shoulder as he walked towards a certain section of the meadow.

"Promise you won't laugh?" She jested, rousing Sesshomaru's entitlement as he glared at her, a look equivalent to the expression of "have you met me" and nearly setting Kagome off into a tittering laughter. She fiddled with the hem of her clothing as Sesshomaru bent down towards the ground. There was a circular impression in the dirt where the grass inside was greener and less stained than that around it, but small craters marred the otherwise impeccable ground. His hand ran through the grass, searching while Kagome watched him as she took a breath.

"I… I think you might be my best friend, Sesshomaru." She said, receiving only a short pause from Sesshomaru's searching, "I guess that's a weird thing for me to say, huh?"

"No." He quickly spoke with no hesitation. Let the priestess think what she will, it had no influence over him. Or so he told himself. In reality, he was despondently pleased to hear the value she held for their relationship. She held it in high regards, even higher than the group of friends she surrounded herself with if one were to believe fully in what she said. Still, it left him wanting. Wanting what was a subject he refused to think anymore on.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, her figure leaning over his crouched form so that she peeked over his shoulder.

"These pools carry the largest collection of jaki."

"Pools?" Kagome looked down into the small hole that Sesshomaru was focused on. The subtle light from the rising moon reflected over a surface that was filled within it, small ripples disrupting the liquid anytime the wind blew. _That's weird. I wonder where that came from… Wait… Isn't this where…_ "Is- Is that those things saliva?! Ugh! That's disgusting!"

"Hn." He agreed, but he didn't care much. Pulling out the vail his scholars had given him, Sesshomaru dunked it into the liquid. These pools by far had the strongest jaki of the lot, and what little purity they contained was slowly being eaten away. It was perfect.

"Oh no!" Kagome cried as she ran off, leaving Sesshomaru perplexed.

The scent that flowed off of her was much sadder than how she had been earlier, and he wondered what could have possibly made her feel that way now. Sealing the vial, Sesshomaru made his way to where the priestess was hunched over on the ground cradling something in her hands.

"Oh, Buyo." The scent of her tears reached him, and he quickly found his place beside her.

"What has happened, priestess?"

"Sess-Sesshomaru," She whimpered, never lifting her head up to look at him, "It's Buyo."

That name didn't mean anything to him, but when she held out her hands, a small blue jay in grasp, he understood. Its wings had been torn, its beak broken, its life stolen. Despite not finding any reason to grieve over such a creature, Sesshomaru was not blind to the obvious pain the little bird's death had brought the priestess, who held the corpse delicately, gently petting its little head.

"I am sorry." She didn't say anything but turned to cry onto Sesshomaru's shoulder. He did more than just allow this. Compelled to comfort her, Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around Kagome and permitted her to weep in his embrace.

The night drew darker as the two held onto each other, and when enough time had passed they dug a small hole into the ground and placed the bird inside, burying him beside the well. The priestess spoke little during this time but when she did speak it was often in words offering small memories that she had had with the bird. By the end of it, Sesshomaru found himself in awe to how much love the priestess had given the small animal. An affirmation to the quality of her heart.

With vial in hand and heartache soothed, they departed shortly after Sesshomaru offered to walk the priestess home. Convinced to return the next day in order to help the village, he watched as she slipped inside the hut, leaving him out amongst the rubble. The jaki was no longer felt here, completely evaporated by the still present purity, but the air still smelled heavily of death. Down by the river bank, he could see the various mounds of graves that the villagers had made. So much death had transpired here today, from the little bird to the numerous villagers. Then, an idea dawned on him.

Looking out beyond the horizon towards his lands, Sesshomaru smirked. His scholars could wait a little bit longer. He had something far more important to do first.

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Okay, so that was chapter 14.

I honestly have nothing else to say, haha.

Hopefully, yall enjoyed it! Please favorite and review! It is all greatly appreciated!

Much love and God bless. I'll update again soon.


	16. Chapter 15: She Comes Uninvited

Hello, everyone!

I've got nothing to say this time around, other than I hope ya'll like this installment! I said it would be short but it ended up being longer than I expected, but even that said, it does feel shorter. Anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter 15: She Comes Uninvited

There was someone outside the door. No, scratch that. There were multiple someones outside the door. Kagome hadn't been able to sleep at any point in the night. Whether it was the loud snoring and the compressed conditions, or the scratching guilt from Buyo's and the countless other villagers' death, she could not tell. But in the midst of her staring up towards the darkened ceiling, she began to hear it. The soft whispers.

On occasion, she would hear a rustle, a cough, sometimes a shout, but it always went back into soft whispers. Listening intently, she could hear the fear laced across the unintelligible voices that trembled with every few breaths. Glued to her position she did not rise or move, but her ears burned with intention, catching the end of words and half-spoken syllables. Time quickly faded under the weight of her paranoia as her mind scrambled and maimed at the various possibilities of who or what owned those whispers. What felt like minutes could have been hours. What was the soft beat of her heart, sounded like thunder. She swore the hut filled with the echo of her heavy breathing, which she perceived as loud as a lions roar. But the room was silent. No one stirred from her motionless panic.

As the nail of paranoia continued to scratch at her forethoughts, Kagome slowly sat up. The creaking of the floor beneath her weight made her cringe. With squinting eyes, she scanned the mounds in the room, looking for a twist or turn, a rise or a grumble. When no one woke, she took a relieving breath, only to have the air she blew out sucked back into her by the _tap-tap-tap_ that came from the door. She stiffened at the sound, the monsters she had imagined now lingering beyond the bamboo door and was only slightly comforted when Kaede rose at the sound.

"Ka-hem" Kaede grumbled with a slight cough, releasing some phlegm that had been caught in her throat while she had been sleeping. Another _tap-tap-tap_ came from the door, this time louder and more forceful, rousing a few more villagers from their slumber. "Who could be knocking at such an hour?"

Kaede moved to stand, her short figure making her little taller than how she had been while sitting, and caught Kagome's petrified posture at the corner of her eyes. "Kagome, child, what is it?" She now whispered, sensing Kagome fear and worrying that perhaps the girl knew something that she didn't.

"Lady Kaede?" A male whisper came from the door, "Is that you? Are you awake?"

Immediately, the fear that had crept up on Kaede and had been strangling Kagome evaporated into a shocking surprise, as both priestesses darted for the door. They knew the sound of that voice, the stout rice farmer who had owned it. The same one whose legs Kagome had had to drag to his resting place.

They threw the bamboo curtain open. Before them stood the man, covered in dirt from his pudgy face to his wiggling, attached toes. He smiled at them, the same smile he had carried every day that Kagome had known him, and he looked at them with his dark brown eyes peering up beneath his wrinkled lids. He was as he always had been. As though death had never touched him. And behind his short stature was a crowd, filled with the countless villagers who had perished beside the rice farmer but now walked and breathed as he did.

"You are alive?! How can this be?"

"I am not sure Lady Kaede. All I remember was being attacked, and then Lord Sesshomaru standing over me in a grave."

"Lord Sesshomaru? Are ye certain?"

"Yes my Lady. He gave no words, but I witnessed him as he dug up the remaining graves and raised the dead with his sword. The one he never uses."

 _Sesshomaru…_ Kagome placed her hands on her chest and scanned the area looking for the silver-haired demon but finding him nowhere. He was already gone. Her heart swelled as she looked at all the people he had brought back; all the villagers who had been considered lost. It surprised her that he had thought of doing such a thing. Tenseiga was so rarely used or mentioned that she had completely forgotten its existence. Foolish of her, but generous of him. Such a selfless act did not come easily to Sesshomaru. Even if it turned out not to be selfless, and he came back with a form of payment in mind, the act was a stretch for him, and no amount of favors could ever repay this gift.

As though responding to the tipping of her heart with the aim to have it fall amorously, Kagome's ears caught the sound of a chirp. There, on the ground beside the door frame, was a familiar little blue jay with one of his feet tied off by a string to make sure he wouldn't fly away. He ruffled his feathers, chirped merrily. It startled everyone when Kagome fell to her knees, in time with the falling of her heart as she wept and cuddled and called out the little blue jays name while thinking of another's name. _Sesshomaru,_ her heart cried out, and she was unable to deny the strong feelings that stirred within her as she thought of him.

~ • • ~

Dirt covered his claws. His servants knew better than to ask, but he could see the questions in his scholars' eyes when he gave them the vial. A quick, threatening glare swiftly silenced them before any words escaped their mouths and he made his way towards his chambers before their curiosity got the better of them. He was eager to remove the soil from his person, and if his scholars were smart enough, they would have the answer to his question by the time he finished bathing. It was all falling nicely into his hands.

Looking outside the windows as he neared his room, he wondered if the priestess was privy to his little act of kindness yet, or whether the villagers were still trying to get their bearings on what had happened. Some time had passed during his journey home, but humans were so fragile and often needed more time than was expected before acting. He imagined her smiling. Of her looking shocked. Of that little glimmer in her eye, she always got when she felt the need to express her gratitude. Perhaps she would tear up, especially at the sight of her resurrected pet. A part of him longed to still be there so he could witness her reaction, which he now regretted missing out on. He was so focused on thoughts about her that he was unaware of the intruder in his chambers until he was firmly in the room.

Red hair spilled across his mattress like a bloody waterfall. Upon her crimson head were obsidian horns that glimmered in the fiery light that lit his chamber. Her cobalt and violet eyes looked up at him as she laid provocatively on his bedding, one hand grazing the top of her breast as she supported her weight on the elbow of the other.

Sesshomaru unsheathed his blade, an array of green sparks shooting out from Bakusaiga's crack and scalding his hand. The tip of the blade pushed against the soft point of her neck just above the collarbone. Like her horns, his blade shined with a reflecting amber glow, appearing like fire eager to burn.

"You dare to enter my chambers uninvited, wench."

"Hello to you too, _Lord_ Sesshomaru." The woman spoke in a sultry voice, unflinching at the touch of his blade or the threat in his voice. Her chest raised as she took a breath of excitement, arrogantly tracing her fingers against the sharp edge of his sword.

 _Disgusting._ It was a shame. This demoness' blood was going to spill all over his bed, and he had so been looking forward to a well-earned rest tonight. Tightening his grip on Bakusaiga, Sesshomaru moved to strike the demoness down. Only…

His eyes narrowed as he willed his muscles to move with no response. Bakusaiga shook in his hand as he tried more forcefully to move, but still, he was frozen. His jaw clenched with frustration as the woman laughed flirtatiously. She stood away from his bed, coming uncomfortably close to Sesshomaru's person so that her leg brushed his as she walked around him, swaying her hips with a "tisk-tisk-tisk."

"Oh, Sesshomaru. I really thought you were smarter than that." She trailed a hand along his immobile shoulders teasingly, rousing another wave of anger from Sesshomaru. "I mean really, hasn't it crossed your mind yet? How was I able to hide within your chambers, your most personal space, without a single one of your servants finding me out? Or even you for that matter?" She placed a hand on his chest as she leaned up, bringing her lips to his ear with a devilish smile, and whispered, "I warrant that look of surprise when you came in wasn't just for finding me when you should have undoubtedly sensed my presence long before, am I right?"

She was right. It didn't make sense. He was Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands, one of the strongest of all the Lords or demons in the realm, and he had no idea she was here. No one in the castle did. It was unfathomable. Extending his aura, he inspected her own while also trying to summon his guards. But his aura couldn't pass the door, and the more he studied her aura, the more he found it similar to his own. Only, different. Like the aura from those beasts he had fought today.

His eyes flickered with recognition, and the woman laughed lightly at the sight of it.

"Looks like someone has finally figured out who he's up against. Well? Go on and speak if you'd like. I'll allow it."

 _Allow?!_ This demoness held more power over him than his own mother, and as much as his rage boiled with the desire to rip her to pieces, he couldn't deny her influence over him. She had turned him into breathing stone, unable to move or attack. She had halted his aura, and he suspected she could control him in many more ways if she wished. 'Allow' was the most appropriate word choice, as much as that made sick to admit it.

"You're the demoness. The one who attacked the village."

"Well… I certainly had my in'ei attack the village. Beasts, as you so rudely called them."

"And you so calmly intrude onto my lands and castle? You are a fool." Taken aback by his comment, the demoness smiled before releasing a short chuckle.

"You certainly are a prideful Inu, aren't you. Just like your grandfather's grandfather. But you seem to have forgotten something, and that is that right now I own you-" A small cut appeared on her cheek where the blade pressed against it. A small line of blood trickled down to her jaw. The same color as the eyes that glared at her. His snarls were ferocious, and his markings were jagged, and for a moment, she trembled. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever made her feel fear, but she quickly looked down at the floor and spotted the small strands of her hair that his blade had cut.

"You've messed up my hair." She spoke nonchalantly, invoking a snarling bark from Sesshomaru. His body trembled with the desire to move, to finish what he was so close to completing, but he was paralyzed again. With dark, cobalt eyes, void of any white, she scowled up at him, her own markings becoming jagged and fury overtaking her. "What a bad dog you are."

She was upon him faster than he could comprehend, her dark claws piercing the flesh of his chest. It was just like before. Beneath his skin he could feel the black jaki burrowing into him like slithering snakes, pushing against and into his muscles. Involuntarily, he gasped for a breath. Pulling, she dragged Sesshomaru closer to her by her hold on his chest so that only a sliver of air was left between them.

"Now," She hissed victoriously, "obey me, and put your sword away."

With no control over himself, he obeyed, sheathing his blade away slowly with a shaking grasp.

"There. Now that's a good boy. Stop fighting against me, and I won't have you sit and roll over for better treatment. Deal?" She removed her claws before he could respond. Keeping her hand up she let him watch as his blood fell from the tips, a false pout strewed across her face.

"This one," Sesshomaru breathed out, "does not… do tricks."

"You're certainly a hard learner-"

"You think you'll leave here unscathed? Slink back to whatever crevices you crawled out of? Even if you managed to get away, this Sesshomaru will hunt you down. Your existence will end by my hands!"

"Oh? And how do you manage to pull that off, Sesshomaru? What?" She laughed, "You think your little scholars with their little trinkets and magic words are really going to find anything? What makes you think I can't summon back my own jaki? Or that I haven't already?"

Her hands folded together as she began to walk around him again. There was a certain dominance she exuded with every step she took, every _click_ of her heels a nail in a coffin Sesshomaru felt locked in. No words were needed to answer her questions. Tsilenceece was enough of a burden to explain that his scholars would fail and that he had nothing on her. Not even his strength.

"Are you beginning to see the picture?" She spat in his ear, her fangs nearly nipping him. With little regards to him she reclaimed her position on his bed, stretching comfortably as though it were something she owned. With disgust, Sesshomaru internally decided that the bed would be burned as soon as she left. If she ever left. "Now, I see that look on your face. Hmm? Do you want to ask me something, _Lord_ Sesshomaru? Haha."

"What are you?"

"Well that's the big question on the table now isn't. Who am I? What am I? The more you know the better off you'll be in finding me, and, in your mind, _Deestroyying_ me!" She sung the last bit mockingly, earning her a scowl. "Oh, come now. Relax, Sesshomaru. I swear. All you Inu's have such a tight stick up your rump. In any case, i'm a little surprised at you. You're not exactly someone I'd pegged as heroic, willing to do things for the sake of others when it doesn't even pertain to you. It's not as though I'd ever hurt my creations. Well, my valued ones anyway. Some of them I just don't care for."

"You're creations?"

"Oh. Oops. I guess I gave you little hint there, didn't I?"

Silenced spanned between them again as Sesshomaru let that little 'hint' settle in his mind. He wasn't sure what it meant but with endeavor with the aura out of his grasp, he'd take what he could get. She, on the other hand, was becoming bored. Deciding it was time to get down to business, she sat up, and began patting the spot next to her.

"Sit down, Sesshomaru. We need to talk, and you're not exactly going to like what I have to say. It's about that girl."

* * *

Okay, guys! So that's the end of that chapter! I'll see yall in a few weeks! Be sure to favorite, follow and review, as they make me very happy -and who doesn't want me happy?- as well as help this story get more views. -yet another thing that makes me happy!-

Tata for now! (*goes off singing "happy-happy-joy-joy-happy-happy-joy!)


	17. Chapter 16: Consequences

*Insert my smug face as I pop my fingers and then rest my chin on them. Be sure to imagine one of my eyebrows lifted as I give a cocky, one-sided smile, and then proceed to drink my tea as I steadily move on to continue writing on some of my other projects. Got it pictured? Good. Now you know I'm super pumped to be sharing this with you.*

Y'all are gonna love this. It is the best (so far). Full of surprises.

That's all I'm going to say. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16: Consequences

Sango gently inspected Kagome's forearm, turned it here and there, and looked for any sign of pain on Kagome's face. "I'm fine," Kagome would say, but Sango continued to check for any weaknesses.

"You're not fine! You can't be. Your arm should need at least one more week before you can even say you're fine!"

It was Kagome's own fault. Sango had taken the lead on checking everyone's well being, and the moment Kagome came out of the hut without her arm wrapped, Sango insisted that she check on her.

"Maybe Sesshomaru's powers worked better than we thought."

"Kagome, you had said it yourself. A week and a half at least. That's how long you said it would take."

"I guess I was wrong."

With her chin propped up on the palm of her hand- the one Sango was not meticulously inspecting like a surgeon double-checking their work- Kagome looked out at the village. Destroyed scrapings of huts rested on top of ash that coated dead, black grass that matched the color of the river and it all resembled death on top of death on top of death, and yet the air chimed with the sound of laughter and endless chatter. It made her think of Sesshomaru, which was odd and unexplainable. She couldn't help but bite a side of her lip as she smiled.

"And what are you smiling about? Or do you just like the idea of being wrong?"

"So I was wrong?"

"I didn't say that," Sango denied and gave Kagome's arm a strong squeeze, who in turn responded with audible discomfort, "See. You're not fine."

"That's strong-arming and you know it!"

"That's… what? Strong-arming?" Sango asked as she began to wrap Kagome's arm.

"Oh, nothing. Forget it."

Her eyes drifted to the horizon as she thought about the people she cared for but were not here. Where had Inuyasha gone? When would he come back? Would he ever come back? She began to twitch her leg like he used to, and her knee bounced up and down from the movement.

"Kagome, could you please not do that?"

"Oh, sure." Her knee had been hitting the arm Sango was working on, and the wrap was crooked as a result.

She thought about Shippo next, who she knew would be back tomorrow. _Poor little guy,_ she mourned as she predicted how he would react once he saw the village. He would act brave at first, and maybe patrol whatever was left of the village so that he would feel useful, like a guardian. Inuyasha would be the target of his blame and would say it was his fault for not being here to protect them. But in the end, when he was all alone with no one to see, he would cry. He would cry for his first family, and he would cry for what almost happened to his current one. He would cry out of fear, loneliness, and grief. He never wanted to lose anyone again. The idea of it haunted his dreams, and the nightmare had almost become reality.

Kagome hunched her shoulders, wanting to curl into a ball like she had seen Shippo do.

"I'm almost done, Kagome."

"Right."

After a sigh, she let her shoulders drop and continued to stare out into the distance. She stayed focused on the west and began to chew on her lip again. Her gaze was transfixed as she studied the sky. A single dot, a flying shadow, anything at all, she looked for it. Maybe if she kept her eyes fixed, she'd eventually see him and his silver hair. It was that hope that held her out, though there was no guarantee that he would come today. A foolish hope, she had to admit.

"Are you thinking about Lord Sesshomaru?" Sango chimed, surprising Kagome.

She had finished wrapping Kagome's arm and the gauze had been stashed away in her medical kit. Not wanting to disturb Kagome's deep thought, she had pulled her knees to her chest and sat beside her. All of which she had done without Kagome noticing.

"Why would you ask that?" Kagome gave a false chortle as she shifted her position to mimic Sango's.

"Well, you clearly seem to be waiting to see him."

"Oh, heh, I just want to thank him. That's all."

"You don't have to lie to me, you know." Sango kept her head down despite feeling Kagome's eyes on her, "I'm not blind. I've seen how you two act with each other."

"Eh- wh-what are you talking about, Sango? I have no idea what you mean." She began to blush and tapped the tips of her index fingers together.

"You know I'm not a fan of Sesshomaru."

"Well, you did say you didn't like us being alone together after he healed me."

"Right… maybe I shouldn't have said anything then, but, Kagome, I worry-"

"I know, Sango. I wasn't trying to say anything against you. You're a demon slayer, and Sesshomaru's a demon. It makes sense for you to not like him."

"And you are a priestess." A short silence passed between them as Kagome gnawed her lip and Sango rolled her right shoulder. Sango took a breath before continuing. "I just want you to be sure that he can be trusted."

"He can, Sango."

"Okay," she smiled, and took Kagome's hand into her own, a sign that if Kagome trusted Sesshomaru, then she would too. Time passed by them without measurement as the two of them watched the sky and waited. At some point, Sango chuckled, and, intrigued, Kagome tilted her head to the side in question. "You and him. You like each other."

"Ts-su-Wh-What? Pft-No! Tsk, I mean- gah-shu-n-no-no. You don't know what you're talking about Sango."

"I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"Sango, it's not-"

"All this time, I was worried that you might start to like him, but you already do."

"Huh? I mean, you thought I would?"

"Well you two do spend a lot of time with each other, and it's not just to keep the villagers calm anymore. It's no secret that you two have gotten close."

"I guess…" Kagome blushed, unable to hold back a smile.

"You should tell Inuyasha. Before anything happens."

"Before…? Oh, I don't think anything will happen, Sango. I mean, it's Sesshomaru."

"He likes you, Kagome. He wouldn't have done this," She extended out her hand to pan over the village filled with resurrected villagers, "If he didn't."

"Maybe."

"And you like him," Kagome didn't respond, but her smile said enough. "Well, whatever you decide, I'll support it."

"He's here," Kagome exclaimed, and rose excitedly, nearly losing her footing from the speed at which she stood. Villagers began to cheer and point at the sky, elated at the sight of Sesshomaru flying towards the village. They're supposed savior had returned.

"Kagome wait!" Sango cried out. She grabbed Kagome's arm as she was running off, jerking her back mid-sprint.

"Ah! Sango, what is it?"

"I don't think you should go to him."

"What? Why not?" Didn't she say she supported her?

"Because," Sango pointed up just as the villagers did, only where they cheered and rejoiced, she stood suspicious and apprehensive, "I don't think he's happy to be here."

Kagome looked up as Sesshomaru descended. His face was sharp with anger, and his eyes were rimmed red. With his nose scrunched up like a snarling dog, his fangs peeked through his sneer. Graceful even in his rage, his feet landed with a gentle _tap_ as villagers rushed to praise him and were startled back when he shouted at them. The loud sound of his voice rang out like thunder as he barked at the villagers to stay back if they wanted to keep their resurrected lives. Something was wrong.

Determined to go to him, Kagome pulled away from Sango's grip and ran towards Sesshomaru. She could hear her friend calling out from behind her, but she continued to run anyways. Villagers scurried away from the threatening demon, running in droves of panic and mayhem, and Kagome ran straight into them. Her feet were stepped on, her body slammed into, but she kept her arms up and pushed against the crowd until she slipped and fell onto the floor. Tensed from the fear of being trampled on, Kagome covered her head as but she could, but she remained unharmed. No one stepped on her, no one kicked her. There was only the soft touch of a gentle breeze and the sound of a snarling dog.

Kagome peeked up from the dirt. In front of her were a pair of black boots and his signature white hakama. Without looking at him she knew she had made it to him. The smile she gave at this achievement, however, quickly faded away when she took a look at his scowling face.

"Where is Rin?" His cold voice chilled her to the bone, and, despite herself, she shook from fear.

"Sesshomaru, what's wrong?"

"Where is Rin?!" He snapped, and Kagome flinched from his tone. For the first time in years, she was afraid he would hurt her.

"She's right here!" Sango called out from behind Kagome. A hand held onto Rin's shoulder as she stood in front of her, guarding her against Sesshomaru. With the other hand, she held onto her hiraikotsu, poised for an attack. He chocolate eyes glared at Sesshomaru, unafraid to stare down the demon that snarled at her. "But if you think for a second that I'd let you near her the way you are now- You're. Dead. Wrong."

"You will give me Rin, slayer, or you will be the one that is dead."

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin whimpered as she battled with the desire to go to him but being too afraid to.

"You're out of your mind. Look at yourself! You'd just end up hurting her!"

The abrupt and vicious bark from Sesshomaru made Kagome flinch and curl into a ball on the ground. It vibrated in her eyes loudly, and from where she laid, it sounded almost like a snap of rage-filled laughter. Was it laughter? It was difficult to say.

Sesshomaru flew over Kagome. The wind from his dash pulled at her hair and clothes, and she took a breath of relief when he managed to not step on her. "Okay," She mumbled as she tried to regain her senses. Sango was angry, Sesshomaru was down right pissed, but she remained calm. _It's okay,_ she told herself, certain that, no matter how escalated things became, they could resolve whatever was wrong.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin screamed, and Kagome jolted from her bent position on the ground. Ice entered her veins at what she witnessed. Sesshomaru held Sango by the collar. Her feet dangled over the ground, and her hands scratched at his arms. But he didn't let go.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome cried out, unable to believe what she was seeing. Why was he acting this way?

"I'm warning you. Let go of me or I will kill you!"

"You are ignorant if you believe you could defeat me."

"Let her go!" Miroku shouted, charging past the villagers. His staff clinked with every step he took as he ran up to Sesshomaru. With a yell, he struck out his staff and aimed for Sesshomaru's face, but his staff was swiftly pulled away from him. Miroku fell to the floor with a bash and clenched his stomach where had been kicked.

Sesshomaru held Miroku's staff in his hand, a prize he had gained with no effort, and sneered. "Pathetic," he remarked as he tossed the staff to the side, away from its owner.

"Sesshomaru, that's enough!" Kagome yanked at his arm with all her might, and he glared at her.

"Weak," he fumed, but closed his eyes and shook his head as he gave a quick exhale. For a moment, Kagome thought he looked despondent and grief-stricken, as though he didn't want to be saying that. The slayer in his hand continued to struggle in his hold as she kicked out towards him, and to everyone's surprise, he let Sango down. The two combatants stared at each other without any words, one genuinely confused, and the other seemingly indifferent.

"None of you are strong enough for what is coming," There was a monotone of desolation as he continued to speak, his words void of any emotion except for defeat, "You should hide while you are able. I cannot give you protection."

"What are you talking about, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, but he walked away from her and knelt down in front of Rin.

"Rin, go gather your things."

"Why, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Because I'm taking you back to the palace. It's no longer safe for you to be here."

Rin smiled, excited that she would be going back with Lord Sesshomaru, but as she thought about it, she frowned.

"Does Rin have to go today?"

"Yes."

"But what about Shippo? And Master Inuyasha? RIn wants to say goodbye to them."

"You are fully capable of leaving a note."

"But-"

"Do as I say, Rin."

She started to say more but stopped herself. With her head down she gave a simple "yes, sir" and walked off towards Kaede's hut, the scent of her new silent tears lingering in the wind. She knew better than to go against Lord Sesshomaru's order, even if she didn't want to go.

Sesshomaru was keenly aware that she had begun to cry, but there was no other way around it. He needed to keep her safe, and this was the only way he knew how. By taking her away from this place she had grown so fondly of. Exasperated, he huffed out his frustration. Everything he had done so far grated against what he truly wanted. But what choice did he have?

"Sesshomaru, hey! Wait a second!" Kagome caught him by the arm and pulled his attention to her, "Tell me what's going on-"

Sesshomaru captured her hand and pulled her towards him. The space left between them was a sliver of air, and Kagome reacted with a deep blush. They were so close, and Kagome forgot that her friends were witnesses to this proximity that her and Sesshomaru had been sharing more and more frequently. She froze as he brought her face down towards her as her mind raced to comprehend what he was doing. None of this made sense. Why was he holding her like this when he had been so abrupt and cold just a few seconds before? Why was she hoping that, despite it all, he was leaning in to kiss her?

He passed her lips, bringing his own towards the point of her jaw just below her ear. His cheek brushed her own, and his grip on her hand tightened as he let his fang scrap against her skin while he spoke. "Stay. Away. From me."

Kagome stumbled as he pushed her away forcefully, and she struggled to not fall. Their eyes caught each other, and while she stared baffled, he scowled. Before she could regain herself, Sesshomaru walked away, and the loneliness she had felt yesterday returned with a biting force. Where her hand and cheek were hot and red, she was cold and freezing on the inside.

"Kagome?" Sango reached out to her, but Kagome brushed her away.

"Can you two go check on Rin? And the villagers? Make sure they've calmed down."

"S-sure, but what about you?

"Lady Kagome, Are-"

"Don't worry about me." Kagome turned her back to Sango and Miroku, and watched as Sesshomaru entered the woods. _That…_ Kagome gritted her teeth. _That…_ A fire began to burn inside her, and she balled her hands into fists, pitting them at her side. _That bastard!_ She stormed off, enraged as she marched off to where Sesshomaru had gone.

"Kagome?!"

"Lady Kagome!"

"Just leave me alone! I can handle myself!" _If he thinks I'm going to let him get away with this, he's got another thing coming!_ Kagome was glad when she didn't hear the footsteps of her friends behind her. This was the one time where, if they knew what was better for them, they had better listen to her. She was not in the mood to play around.

As she stormed through the foliage, following the trail of Sesshomaru's aura, she began to notice how the grass and bushes seem to tilt away from her as she came closer to them. Even the branches of the trees lifted slightly away. It was as though she had a miniature typhoon around her. Then she noticed the crispness in the air and the familiar power it carried. If she hadn't been so angry, she would have gasped in delight at finding out what she had been doing it. Somehow, she had let her power leak out of her and it had begun to swirl around her in response to her intensity. But her reiki* didn't have a form. It wasn't a barrier or anything that was visible. It was simply there, whirling around her feverishly. She didn't know how she did it or how to control it, but it was there. _Good. Let Sesshomaru know I mean business!_

A branch snapped away from her as she rounded a tree, finally catching up with Sesshomaru, who held his face in his hand.

"Hey!" Kagome shouted, and her reiki flung out towards Sesshomaru like a whip, hitting him on the back. He jerked back, shock written across his face. "What the hell is your problem!"

 _Whip! Whip!_ She flung out her reiki again.

"Stop that." He commanded, refusing to flinch as her reiki struck his shoulder and his chest.

"No!" _Whip! Whip!_

The wind rushed past her as he captured and pinned her against a tree, knocking the air out of her. "You will stop." He held a hand against her throat. A little push, a tight squeeze, and he'd choke her. Red rimmed eyes glared down at her, and he was tall against her tiny frame. Everything about him and how he held her breathed with dominance, calling for her to submit to his will. But she refused to give in that easily.

"No! Not until you tell me why you're acting this way!" The air was knocked out of her again as he pulled and slammed her into the tree again. It didn't hurt, physically, but the shock she felt quivered throughout her body.

"You seem to forget," he spoke uncomfortably close to her, and Kagome put her arms between them in defense, attempting to increase the space between them as she turned her face away from his gaze, "that I am a demon. If I so desired, I could easily take your life by simply snapping your neck."

"You wouldn't-"

"I am a demon! I take pleasure in inflicting pain," he stopped, and from the corner of Kagome's eye she saw him bow his head before continuing, "For once, listen to me, Kagome, and stay away."

He let her go, and Kagome dropped to the floor with her knees at her chest and her hands at her heart. The echoes of his steps vibrated in her ears, and she was trembling. Against her will, her eyes began to pool and blur her vision. This… this wasn't like him. She refused to believe it. Even as he walked away, leaving her shaking on the floor, she could not bring herself to accept that this was who he truly was.

Her fists clenched. Her fire returned. The trembling stopped. With her feet firmly beneath her, she rose and marched after him again. _No,_ she rejected, _this isn't him, and this isn't how he's leaving! Sesshomaru, you're going to answer me dammit, whether you want to or not!_

"Stop!" She reached out, grabbed his arm, and forced him to look back at her. Everything became still for a breath, her subtle inhale and exhale seeming to last for eternity as he looked at her in a way he hadn't before. She had half expected to see a set of harsh vermilion eyes and gleaming fangs beneath an upcurled lip snarling back at her, but this wasn't his expression at all.

A soft light reflected off his hooded amber eyes that pleaded with want and desire, and his normal downward brows were pointed up, a sight of anguish mixed with surrender. His gaze was gentle and cautious, and he looked into her. Kagome could feel him looking at the essence of who she was by simply looking into her eyes and feeling naked and exposed she brought her hands back to her chest. He had never looked at her in this way and she felt increasingly vulnerable beneath his stare as her heart struggled to keep a steady rhythm. She could feel it in her chest, the inconsistent _du-dum-thumpthump-duthump-du-du-thump,_ as her heart seemed to fall over its own beating, and her cheeks glowed like roses as his hand came up to caress her cheek. Her skin became lit with fire where their skin touched, and inside her mind, she pleaded, _say something, please,_ unsure of how much longer she could last like this before fainting. Warmth bloomed inside her chest and the feelings she had felt for Sesshomaru in the dark, early morning returned with new vigor, and she closed her eyes from the rush it. She waited for his words, but what she felt was his lips against hers.

Kagome swooned. His lips felt soft as they moved against hers and her mind flew in emotion as fireworks exploded inside her, absorbing every sensation she could. As she kissed him back he drew his hand behind her head and another around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he deepened their kiss. He pressed his lips harder against hers, and her legs wobbled and became weak. Had he not been holding her, she would have fallen over from the ecstasy. His fingers became knotted in her hair as he greedily took more of her senses from her, and brushed his tongue along her bottom lip. Kagome nearly moaned, and clutched her hands around the fabric at his chest, pulling him closer to her. But he pulled away.

Kagome gasped, taking in the air she hadn't noticed she'd been lacking, and her eyes remained closed. Her lips felt raw, and her body still hummed with vibrant energy that pulsed through her. She felt aglow. With their foreheads touching she could hear Sesshomaru's own ragged breathing, and she relaxed in his hold, finding comfort and a sense of perfection in his arms. Until he spoke.

"Why couldn't you stay away?" He whispered, and as Kagome opened her eyes she caught him shaking his head side from side, his own eyes shut tight. Despite the direction the question seemed to take, Kagome found that the question was towards himself rather than her. He wasn't waiting for her to answer.

A _snap_ of a twig caught their hearing, and before Kagome could move, Sesshomaru was shielding her with his body. But Kagome couldn't see or sense anything malicious. It made little sense to her for Sesshomaru to be acting this way, and as that little thought bounced around in her mind she came to a sudden conclusion. Sesshomaru had been erratically high-strung since the moment he arrived, almost as if he thought something was coming. Something he couldn't handle.

"Lady Kagome! Lord Sesshomaru!" Miroku called out, dashing out of the shrubbery, and Sesshomaru quickly relaxed.

"Miroku? What is it, what's wrong?"

"It's Rin. She's collapsed!"

* * *

*grins widely as I suffer to contain my excitement*

Ah, yes! It finally happened! Ah! I loved writing this chapter, twas so much fun, and I'm excited to continue.

And, guys, check it out! 16/17 chapters in (since I split one chapter into two) and still going strong! Y'all have been super supportive and great, and I thought, for anyone who is interested, I'd give yall a sneak peek into a book that I'm currently writing. It's a very short excerpt, with only two paragraphs from the first draft, but I thought if I put a full chapter it would make this page way too long, and some of Y'all might not want to read all that. So two paragraphs, unedited from my currently-in-development book, Tasteless, is all you're getting. Anyway, here Y'all go, and I'll see y'all in a few weeks.

* * *

My lungs burned. Deprived of oxygen I gasped for air, and salt water poured down my throat. Waves crashed into me over and over. The more I tried to breathe, the more I continued to drown. Panic took control. My arms flailed. My legs kicked. The surface stayed out of my grasp. The ocean and all its water were all that existed, and it engulfed me.

Numbness began to settle into my limbs, spreading from my fingers and my toes. Within the depths of the ocean, where its extensive mass was like an endless abyss filled shadows and monsters, my body floated, lifelessly. Death was seeping into me like the water had seeped into clothes, into my hair, and into my lungs. And there was nothing I could do about it.


	18. Chapter 17: His Punishment

Hello everyone,

first, I'd like to thank you all for being so patient with me. I know it's been a little over a month since the last post and that's a lot longer than I normally like to keep yall waiting. Um, I actually ended up getting a new job, and it's been a little difficult keeping my work/ write schedule balanced, so I do apologize and I am working on it. Unfortunately, I also did not have a chance to go over a quick edit with this chapter (minus a brief -not 100% fail proof- grammar check) so this chapter is going to be pretty raw in terms of my writing skill. Hopefully, the pacing isn't too bad or jarring and the story actually makes sense. I did originally plan to have more of the "fight" scenes, but I also didn't want to keep ya'll waiting much longer and, personally, I'm ready to move on to the next chapter.

Alright, so I hope ya'll enjoy this little segment! :D Onward to the story!

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Chapter 17: His Punishment

She was alive. That was the only good news. Sango had been the one to witness the incident when Rin was crouched beside the river looking for flowers to leave for Shippo. Nothing was strange other than her sour mood as she struggled to find any living plants by the black water. Then she stood, abruptly and seemingly for no reason. It crossed Sango's mind that perhaps she saw something in the water, but Rin simply stood there, frozen from head to toe like a statue made of petrified stone. And then she fell, head first, into the current.

The water splashed as it swallowed her into its depths, enveloping her into its folds so that no one above surface could see her beyond its oily and ashen substance. If it hadn't been for Sango, who dove into the water after her, Rin may have never been found.

This was the story that was told to him, and he believed it. The slayer wouldn't have lied about this, he was certain, especially after she displayed such prominent guardianship over Rin before. This wasn't why he was reticent and withdrawn from the incessant chatter inside the hut.

They hovered, spoke their concerns, told him not to blame the slayer, and debated on what they believed the issue to be. But he knew. He knew what was wrong, and what was the cause of it. He knew why Rin's eyes remained closed as heat and sweat radiated from her while her lips went pale. It was him. He was to blame. If only he had stayed away.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome knelt down beside him as he brushed Rin's damp hair. For some reason, he thought that if he did it enough, he could will her into waking, as though somehow his petting would stir her from whatever curse she was under.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome probed again, but still, he did not respond, "Sesshomaru, we'll figure out what's wrong with Rin. And then we can cure her. So don't you worry-"

Sesshomaru shot her an icy stare filled with frigid daggers, and Kagome pulled away, removing her hand from his shoulder and tucking her chin down. Of course, he would worry. He had every right to. This was Rin. "Sorry," she mumbled, "guess that was stupid of me to say."

The two fell silent as Sesshomaru continued to brush Rin's hair. A steady and rhythmic wheeze puffed out of Rin's parted lips, her face contorted in pain as she struggled to breath. How long would she be this way? Needles pricked the inside of Sesshomaru's mind as he listened to her staggering breath, the little punctures increasing in intensity until the air was pulled back into her. At her respire, the small punctures would be cooled and coated with salve, only for the needles to press back again as he waited for her next inhale. Prick, relief, prick, repeat. Over and over at a neverending pace, with seconds between each breath dragging on and pushing him closer to the edge of a crumbling cliff. A cliff that stood based on Rin's status of living, and should the moment come where her breath halted and the cliffside shattered and fell, he would be plunged into a moonless abyss where beyond its murk laid something dreadful and untold; the point where his soul would be wretched and torn.

"Maybe it was the water?" One of them spoke, of who he did not care. It was not the water.

"If it was the water, then shouldn't I be sick too?" It wasn't the water.

"Maybe she used too much of her power yesterday. She isn't exactly skilled in controlling it yet." It wasn't that either.

"Reiki would not have such an effect unless the priestess was highly skilled and was capable of expelling a significant amount from her body. Both of which Rin cannot do." It was not her power.

"Then what is it?" It was him. _Rin._ He had done this. He had been warned, and he did not listen. He had been foolish enough to believe, for even the smallest moment, that the consequences of his actions would not be as grave as that woman had explained. If only he had known otherwise. If only he hadn't been so selfish.

The clamor of the hut became louder, with one speaking over the other who spoke over another and so on. It was all pointless. Why couldn't they understand that? _They_ were incapable of doing anything to help. They. But perhaps not he. What he would do, he did not know, but something would be done. He would not allow Rin to suffer for his mistakes.

"Silence." He stood, and the occupants of the hut quickly ceased their useless banter, "None of you are capable of understanding what has happened to Rin."

"Sesshomaru, are you saying you do?"

"Hn."

"That's great! Tell us what it is, and we can-"

"No." He looked at Kagome, for what he presumed to be the final time. As of this moment, his only plans consisted of finding the woman who had placed Rin under this curse. He wasn't foolish enough to believe he could survive a confrontation with her. But if there was even a chance to save Rin, then let this be the last time he saw either of them, Rin and Kagome.

"What? Why not? We can help!" Kagome pleaded. _Help_ , he nearly smiled. Yes, if he were to die, this was how he would remember her; a tad fiery and eager to help. Should another have been in his position, perhaps his younger self that had once attempted to kill her with his poisoned claws, he imagined that they would have cast blame on to her. To ridicule her for being the bane of his affection and for never, ever, listening to him. But his actions were his own, and she was unaware. The responsibility belonged to him and him alone. If he had any say in it, she would never know of her involvement in Rin's afflictions and his demise.

"You would not understand." Kagome reached out to him, grabbed his arm, pleaded with him, but he brushed her off and stepped out of the hut. The lot of them followed suit, each making their own case for him to tell them what he knew. Most fell under the category of not underestimating them, but she spoke out differently. Of course, only she would.

"Sesshomaru," Her voice caught his ears amongst the ramble, "What's going on? Why do you feel like you need to hide it from us?"

He shut his eyes. What had given him away? What had he done for her to notice his true thinking? Or did she simply know him this well? This priestess, who, less than a week ago, he had denied having feelings for. Heh. Denied. He had been denying it for much longer than these past few days, or months. He had held feelings for her for longer than he cared to admit, and longer than anyone would ever know.

The wind pushed around him as he began to float while Kagome continued to call out for him. Her voice reached up to him the higher he went. He wanted to carry the sound with him, to wield it within him that he may never forget it, but as he reached the height where the expansion of the village was seen below his feet, her voice faded, slowly and gradually. It was suddenly too silent in his place above the clouds.

The earth appeared frozen beneath him, caught in a paused state where even the birds and the animals were silent in their halted position. A trick of the mind, perhaps, propelled with the affliction of loneliness and longing for a woman who was a mere few seconds below? It could have been, but that didn't explain the river. In all its blackness, it's current was held still. The portion prior to the river turning black overflowed outward, it's contents flowing out into the forest but never further downward. The portion downriver that came after the village's territory was drying, becoming more and more shallow with the seconds that ticked by. It was as though an invisible wall had been placed around the village, and everyone and everything within were held in a perpetual state of unmoving.

And then it all fell into chaos.

Boards of smashed wood flew in all directions as Rin crashed through the roof with an unsettling shriek. With the strength of a demon, she vaulted upward towards the sky at an inhuman height as tendrils of obsidian smoke followed behind her, lured by their master. As she reached the peak of her jump, her head shook in all directions like a maddened spirit until she caught sight of Sesshomaru and glowered at him with bloodshot eyes. He could hear the hiss that escaped her unmoving mouth, cursing out his name, as her grayed skin tightened into a snarl. Before his mind could make the leaps and bounds to identify this small, demonish child as Rin, the once smiling girl whom he had taken under his protection, she fell back down to the earth with another piercing shriek. Dirt and dust puffed up from where she landed as though a small bomb had gone off, and Sesshomaru dashed downward after her.

The demonized Rin ran off before he could reach her, her speed comparable to his own as she bolted through the village with the tendrils flaring out in all directions. The dust lingered in the air, a gray and sepia fog that blocked his view but his ears caught the sound of Kagome's distressed cough.

"Priestess!" He shouted as he rushed towards Kagome who laid curled up on the floor, a hand pressed against her side as she covered a wound. Sesshomaru attempted to lift her, to check on her wound and perhaps heal her, but Kagome placed a hand against his chest and pushed him away.

"No," she groaned, " Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Go check on the others!"

"Priestess," he resisted, but she continued to push him away.

"Go!" Kagome slumped back down as her hair curtained around her face. The air around her began to charge with her reiki as a bright pink light flowed from her fingertips; she would heal herself this time.

Sesshomaru relented to her demands and darted to her fellow fallen comrades. The old woman was bruised and coughing, but otherwise fine. The slayer was close beside her and already on the rise, but her gaze shifted sporadically as her eyes veered from side to side.

"Miroku?!" she coughed and fumbled with her mask that she luckily had in her possession. She hadn't noticed Sesshomaru beyond the fog, so when he came up towards her she jumped in fright. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Go to Kagome."

"But-"

"I will find the monk." Another shrill of Rin's shriek ran out, followed by screams and cries of agony. At another time, she may have felt surprised by the lord's use of her friend's name, but at this moment, all she heard was the screams and Lord Sesshomaru's offer to help. She gave a quick nod and ran towards where he directed Kagome was, stopping to retrieve Kaede as well. They disappeared into the fog, and Sesshomaru extended his aura in search for the monk. The shrieks and screams continued. What was Rin doing? Was she even Rin anymore?

The monk was close by. Sesshomaru's aura quickly found him, but the monk's own aura flailed in wild distress. The radical dips and peaks of the monk's power made it apparent that he was in battle, and he was losing. There was only a short pause before Sesshomaru rushed to his aid, a single breath where Sesshomaru attempted to assess whom or what the monk's enemy was and discovering the sinister jaki to be a mash of familiar aura's.

The dust had begun to settle once Sesshomaru reached him, the air clearing of dirt and ash, only to reveal the monk suspended like a fish caught on a hook. He flailed like a fish too, his legs kicking out at nothing in particular but with a fierce intent to hit whatever invisible entity held him. Invisible because, as far as Sesshomaru could see, nothing held onto the levitating monk who had begun to turn plum in the face with an ajar mouth as wide as an open door. But surely something was there, something that held the mixed auras of the young Rin and that devilish demoness and something altogether unearthly. A simple overlaying taste of a sense that, if Sesshomaru had to give it a name, would simply be called unrestricted power. It was tantalizing and chaotic, the echelon of a demon's desired power. But the aura was not fixed to a single point, and it was as fluid as the currents in the wind. The only constant was the continuous concentration of yoki around the monk's neck.

Without much thought to his actions, Sesshomaru moved. Unable to fight an unseen enemy with no true form, he went by his instinct and grappled the monk's legs, yanking him back down to the ground.

Miroku slammed into the ground with an audible gasp. Whether the gasp was from the impact or his lungs finally expanding, Sesshomaru did not verify which and focused instead on the now visible black tendril of smoke that loomed above them. Had this been the culprit of the monk's near demise? The small plume of smoke barely the size of his fist?

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Miroku wheezed, "Don't let it touch you!"

At Miroku's caution, the tendril moved, coming closer to Sesshomaru at rapid speed. Sesshomaru dodged it easily enough, and the tendril passed him with a screech. It turned around, came after him again, and screeched when Sesshomaru dodged once more. This dance, this odd tango between demon and yoki, grew tiresome for Sesshomaru quickly, and as he dodged the tendrils assault once more, he drew his own yoki to his fingertips. The vibrant green whip extended out, a destructive line on course with its target.

"Die."

"No Lord Sesshomaru! Stop!"

The whip hit vacant air, striking the point where the evaporated tendril had been. And then he felt the tendril wrap around his neck.

"Sesshomaru!" A set of hands cupped the sides of his face, delicate fingers placed at his jaw and lightly touching his neck, and then a bright pink light blinded his vision. There was a slight sizzle where her skin touched his, like small fireworks popping off at the molecular space between them, and it should have been painful. The intense purity colliding with his demonic form should have scalded him but instead, it was remarkably emollient.

The tendril around his neck eroded away into a non-existence and the bright light that surrounded him slowly vanished. Kagome held the sides of his face, her brows turned up and her wide eyes deep with worry as her bottom lip trembled.

"Sesshomaru? Is it still you?" That was an odd question. Was it still him? Of course, it was. Had she bumped her head and forgotten his face? Sadly enough that notion had a higher probability than he would have preferred. His verbal huff clenched inside his chest as his eyes narrowed and his silver tongue wagged with a potential insult.

"It is you!" Kagome exclaimed before his crude remark could be said, and she wrapped her arms around him briefly before she hopped away with a blush on her cheeks.

"You're actions are more incomprehensible than usual, priestess."

"Sorry, but-"

"Miroku?" Sango's graveled voice spoke through her mask, and caught Kagome's attention before she could explain herself, "Miroku?! Are you okay? Are you still the same?"

"Yes, my love I am fine," Miroku reaffirmed as Sango continued to brush the side of his face, "I was fortunate enough to have Lord Sesshomaru save me before I could be done in."

"But Miroku," this time Kagome interjected after allowing a short moment of time to lapse between the couple as they held each other, "how did you keep it from taking over."

"Ah, well even more fortunate, I had one… Of… These," Miroku rummaged through his pockets until he pulled out a sutra that, to Kagome, was easily recognizable, "it's a-"

"A protective sutra. You had to place it over your face…"

"Eh- yes. How did you know?"

Kagome stood, her fingers intertwined in a prayer as her brows knitted close to each other and her eyes magnified in intensity. She knew that sutra. It was a sutra that prevented possession. It was the same one her grandpa had all over face when he had attacked by the Flesh-eating Noh Mask.

"We need to gather up all the villagers left and give them sutras to protect themselves. And there has to be a way to save those who have already been taken over. If we don't find a way, whatever's possessing them is going to end up devouring them."

"How do you-"

"Priestess," Sesshomaru caught her arm, gaining her attention, "where is Rin?"

There a moment of silence as she looked back towards her friends. They both refused to speak, and slayer dipped her head down to hide her face, her head shaking subtly. When Kagome turned back to him, she too held her head down.

"Sesshomaru, I'm sorry-"

"Where is Rin?!"

"She… she's not Rin anymore…"

He released her arm and stood tall. His eyes peered down at her with little emotion and his mouth was tight in line.

"I will be the judge of that."

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Okay! So that was chapter 17.

Please let me know what ya'll think, whether you enjoyed or whether there were some areas you would have changed or expanded on. Every little review helps me become a better writer, and in return, helps you have better content. It's a win-win for everybody!

I will try to post again soon, but it kinda depends on how quickly I can get used to my new schedule.

Anyway, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving full of turkey and mashed potato and gravy and angst because your favorite writer did not meet her goal of having the latest chapter up by Thanksgiving (so sorry!), and I'll see ya'll again soon! Bye!


	19. Chapter 18: A Helpful Voice

Hello, my wonderful readers!

You didn't think I would make it did ya? I am cutting it close. Fun fact, I had this sweet puppy done this morning, but then I got called into work because _SOMEONE,_ who shall remain nameless, decided to skip work today and I got called in before I could finish editing. I internally screamed. Not a fun day, but I watched an awesome stream when I got home while I finished editing and now here we are. As promised. An update.

Enjoy the story, and next update will be placed up this weekend! mucch love!

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Chapter 18: A Helpful Voice

She clung to his back like she had done with his younger brother countless times before, her fingers curled into his kimono and her legs pinned to his sides. They bounded through the air with Sesshomaru following her directions. She couldn't explain how or why she was able to sense Rin when he himself couldn't, only that she could as if she were looking for a light amidst the shadows.

They passed villagers, some possessed and others terrified, and while he could sense Kagome's apprehension of leaving them behind for her friends to take care of, he himself carried only one goal in mind; finding Rin. The whole village could burn for all he cared. That red-haired demoness would not have Rin.

She understood this. If his arctic attitude didn't make it apparent enough, the speed that he ran did on its own. She was forced to keep her head down, unable to gulp in the air that smacked against her as if she were free falling from the top of the world. That was how it was riding on his back; A wild, constant falling on an empyreal leviathan that both terrified and mystified her.

To tell Sesshomaru where to go, she was resigned to speaking into his shoulder while his demonic ears caught her words as no normal being ever could. It was rather difficult for her to keep up with Rin, though, especially on this tremulous ride on Sesshomaru's back. Rin was so quick, almost disappearing and reappearing with the speed she traveled at. It was a burden to admit that, unfortunately, Rin was significantly faster than Sesshomaru could ever be with Kagome on his back.

Kagome also couldn't help but think about how all the while Rin ran, she was leaving around tendrils to capture and possess the villagers, corrupting them with the same demonic power that had created the Noh Mask. This was something she wasn't certain about, and she prayed she was wrong, but after seeing the way some of the villagers changed and studying the sutra Miroku had on his face, she was confident in her conclusion. One of these _things_ would result in her grandpa being sent to the hospital and the Higurashi Shrine catching on fire. One of these _things_ would become the mask.

As Kagome internally debated on how these tendrils, which were currently possessing humans, would come to possess a mask, she noticed Sesshomaru lift up his arm with his poisonous claws poised to attack. _But why would he…_ she pondered for a moment, confused, and then she sensed the villagers ahead of them.

"Sesshomaru, don't!" Kagome cried, latching onto his arm and pulling against him with all her might. It barely phased him. The possessed villagers lunged towards them, their eyes empty while their bodies were covered in large, black boils that seemed to slowly be taking over their form.

Sesshomaru was ready. He struck out his arm, only briefly thinking of the priestess who held onto it and aimed for one of the possessed villager's throat. As his claws neared their destination, the pulsing vein on the villager's neck mere inches away, a bright light erupted beside him and blinded his eyes and set his arm aflame. The pure light pushed against him in a pulsing rage, and despite his fight against it, he was thrown back from its ferocity.

Flung away like a rag doll being tossed by an aggressive child, Sesshomaru flew back and landed on the hard floor harshly before getting his feet beneath him and skidding to a halt. His demon blood boiled inside him, churning beneath the skin and standing the hairs on his arms up as his power rose inside him.

It was reactionary; the redness in his eyes; the growl in his voice; the flexing of his claws. It all came to him as naturally as taking a breath. All those years of being a predator had built a habit in his as strong as his own might, only now he constrained it as tightly as a leash constrained its pet.

The priestess's legs wobbled before him, but she remained grounded in her combatant stance. Her hands were raised open palm with a flickering, pink glow extending outward from them, a sign of her growth and struggle in controlling her power. Her face was set in a nervous scowl with her eyes signaling her determined intent while her bottom lip quivered as she stared down Sesshomaru. Words escaped her pleading lips, but they failed to reach his ears which echoed with the thirsty beat of his power. But he was in control; he was always in control.

He didn't pin his desire for blood on her despite his arm still sizzling from the injury she had inflicted. No. He wanted those damn, reeking villagers who had the gall to get in his way of finding Rin. If only the priestess wasn't standing in his way.

She was at the center of two snarling enemies; a set of villagers whom she knew and whom she had laughed with, and Sesshomaru, whose eyes were vacant of any amber in favor of a bloody crimson gaze.

"Sesshomaru, please," she pleaded again with one charged hand facing him while the other faced the two rising villagers, "you can't do this-"

"Out of the way." He snarled, eager for a kill.

"No! What if you can't bring them back? The Tenseiga can only bring people back once!"

"I don't care."

The villagers didn't wait and lunged for Kagome the moment they were able to get past the pain the purity had inflicted on them. Sesshomaru took the chance to attack them, and Kagome panicked, unsure of what to do. Either the villagers would kill her or Sesshomaru would kill them before they could.

 _Push out a barrier!_ A voice commanded inside Kagome's head. Without hesitation, Kagome did as the voice said, recognizing it as the voice that had helped her against the beasts before. She pushed her power out of her, creating the barrier as she had always done, only something was different.

From inside her chest, she could feel something moving around, like a hand groping for something deep within her. It felt along the walls of what she had always described as her core, the central point inside her where all her power seemed to reside, scrapping and searching until it finally reached its mark and latched itself onto a part of her core that she had never known was there.

A sudden surge of inexplicable power erupted from her core like a damn splitting open and out of her body, filling the area with a bright, cream-white light. She couldn't control it. It had stolen her breath and her ability to move with its abrupt onslaught, and yet she had never felt anything so warm and comforting. It was as though a star had exploded inside her and all of its dangerous energy was spilling out from her body, and yet it was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed.

The surge lasted only a second, and then the light was gone and she felt the pain. Kagome crumbled to the floor, holding her arms to her chest as she began to cry in agony. Rotting. Her arms felt as though they were dead, decrepit things rotting from the inside out, poisoning her body with death. They felt scalded and pus-filled, and cold to point that it burned. But they were fine. Her arms were a healthy, peach skin tone. They weren't rotting, and if she tried, she could move her fingers, but they felt dead. This was what that power had done to her.

From her slumped position and watery gaze, Kagome looked at her surroundings and at the three figures that surrounded her. The two villagers were breathing wildly on the ground, their ribs exposed and pushing against their skin, but their boils had shrunk and only covered half of their bodies now. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was resting against a tree with a hand against his chest. He wasn't bleeding though, but something was wrong. Kagome couldn't pin her finger on it, but something about him had changed. The air around him was different.

It didn't last though. As the villagers rose to their feets, Sesshomaru's amber eyes shot up. His eyes were focused and intense, but from Kagome's view, she could detect a hint of what she perceived to be fear. But that was impossible.

Sesshomaru attempted to rise to his feet but failed. It was as though his body was suffering from electrical shocks as the purity still lingered around him. What had she done? He had never experienced anything like it before. Never seen her do something as effective as that. Every bit of him, every demonic cell in his body, felt drained and empty with no power for him to draw on. Yet those villagers were rising. He couldn't even lean away from the tree that he rested on. The rage that had been fueling him before was as limp as his muscles, but the priestess was down. Tears were falling from her eyes and her arms shook at her chest. And the villagers had risen.

Kagome could see Sesshomaru struggling to come to her aid while the villagers were looking down at her. He wouldn't be able to help. She didn't know what she had done but it had hurt Sesshomaru more than it had the villagers, and she was on her own with her arms unusable. _Help! Help me!_ She pleaded inside her mind, hoping that, somehow, that voice she had heard before would reach her again and wasn't just fluke. She was both shocked and relieved when she heard it say, _It's okay. They're leaving!_

Kagome looked back up at the two villagers, who were now taking steps away from her. In a matter of seconds, after a conjoined, gurgling hiss escaping their lips, they turned and ran.

"Eh? They- They left?" Kagome gapped at the area they once stood, now a vacant spot amidst the trees. Had what she had done scared them off? Like a stroke of lightning, Kagome remembered Sesshomaru, and that she had also hit him with whatever power she had released. She ran towards him, her arms kept close to her body as each step made them feel as though they would fall off. She landed on her knees next to him and attempted to reach a hand out towards, only to have him swat it away.

Kagome yelped from the pain the little smack had sent rushing up her arm, but Sesshomaru barely gave her a passing glance. A sudden sharpness filled the air, and Kagome could see a red rim around his eyes. He now stood with ease. Whatever affect her blast had on him was gone.

"Keep your hands away from me, priestess."

"But, Sesshomaru… I didn't mean to, I swear. But I couldn't let you attack those villagers."

"Keh." He huffed with his back turned to her. A sudden pang struck her heart. He wasn't looking at her. He refused to.

Kagome stood too, this time forcing her arms to her side despite the pain that trickled up from her fingertips to her elbow. No. He didn't get to act this way. Not now. Not after… everything.

"Why are you mad at me?! Huh?!" She shouted. "I told you to stop. I gave you a warning shot, and you still kept going. You may not care about human lives but I do, and those villagers count on me! If I let you kill them, we wouldn't have been able to bring them back. I don't care if they're possessed, I can't let you just end them like that!"

"You are not as truthful as you make yourself out to be!"

Kagome stepped back. His words were laced with poison and she felt it. He wasn't just mad at her. Right now, he hated her.

"Wha… what are you talking about?"

Sesshomaru kept his back towards her. He hadn't looked at her at all throughout their conversation, and he wasn't going to. What was it that he felt? This sudden tightness in his chest that laid a seed of mistrust? _Betrayal._ Yes. He knew this feeling well. He had felt it when he discovered the misdoings of his father. Had felt it when he had left him behind. He felt it now. The word scurried around in his mind like a taunting little mouse laughing at him. This power she had displayed, she had kept it secret from him. Why? He wasn't ready to ask, and, being honest with himself, he knew his emotions were out of his control right now. It was something he found himself surprised to admit, and he acknowledged that if he continued, there was a good chance he would either say or do something to the priestess that he would regret. Hn. Regret. Even after feeling this betrayal, she still held such a hold on him for him to still care for her.

"I will find Rin on my own."

"What? But Sesshomaru, you already said you couldn't. You said all the tendrils had too much of her aura for you to distinguish which one was her-"

"I will do it on my own!"

"Sesshomaru…" Kagome's voice broke. Why was this hurting her? Why did it feel like he was tossing her behind?

"We will speak later."

"But-" He was gone before she could stop him. Again, Kagome fell to the floor, only this time it was despair that brought her down. For a fleeting moment, she forgot about the chaos that surrounded her and thought about that brief moment of bliss when her lips met Sesshomaru's. For the first time in so long, she had felt that everything was okay. That everything was going to be okay and maybe, just maybe, she hadn't made the biggest mistake of her life returning to the Edo period. She had felt so safe with him. But now, the village was under attack, again, and Sesshomaru had left her. And Rin. Rin was still gone.

Kagome's cheeks were wetted by the tears that fell down her face and into her lap. Her shoulders shook from her desperate breathing, and her heart felt as though it was being torn open. She cried heavily, hopelessly. She felt heartbroken.

"What do I do?" Kagome wept, curling into herself so her hair scraped the floor. _Kagome, listen to me,_ The voice inside her head called out again, _you must do as I say. I can help you save Rin._

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Almost forgot!

Thank you all so much for being so understanding! Yall are super sweet and I am so lucky to a following like yall. Just as an FYI, my nephew (who broke my laptop- wah!-) is only two years old so, no, he didn't get a punishment, just a talking to, and I can't really blame him. They're so grabby at that age. But yalls messages made me laugh, and really appreciate yall! Thank you so much!


	20. Chapter 19: Her Twisted Game

Hello fudge cakes (or whatever kind of sweets you prefer),

It's late at night, but I managed to get it done. I hope ya'll like it!

Anyway, enjoy!

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Chapter 19: Her twisted game.

Where was she? For each path he took, for each trail of aura he followed, he was left empty-handed with a tendril or a possessed villager to deal with. But he had yet to find Rin.

He had gone in circles by now, going this way and that, around and around, looking for Rin in the pile of auras that all hinted at her existence but never was her. He wanted to return to the priestess who had been the only one who could give him directions, but no, he couldn't.

That power that she had displayed… The hair on the back of his neck was still prickly from the experience. The blast that had burst from her body had somehow drained him of all his power and made him… ineffective. He had felt as feeble as a human; sluggish and frail, and hesitant in his actions. No, he couldn't go back to her.

He had allowed his emotions to take over his logic, and yes, he was proud and arrogant, though with good reason, but that didn't excuse his disregard of the priestess as a threat. Priestess's and demons; they were designed to be enemies. If he was blind before, he could see now. That priestess had the capabilities to powerful foe and perhaps the ability to kill him. The idea of her turning on him was almost asinine in his opinion, but she had also kept her power a secret from him. Perhaps her reasoning for doing so had been that she didn't want to frighten him. That sounded like her, but regardless, he would need to proceed cautiously around her. If he decided to stay around her. Rin was a clear example of the dangers of doing so.

Tracking Rin was something he would have to do alone then. Heh. Tracking. He was flying around blindlessly. Damnit. Where was she?

Sesshomaru ran into an opening, following yet another trail of aura. Unsurprisingly and much to his dismay, he found himself in the company of a possessed villager. This one was greatly deformed, more a mass of dark-colored slime than human. It would be fair to say that only a third of its body was discernible, with an arm and leg still visible through their blackened boils, along with a sliver of their side and the calf of the other leg. Its head was gone, a part of the slime, but a single eye still viewed the world, and its gaze was fixated on Sesshomaru. Up until now, Sesshomaru had refrained from killing any of the villagers for the sake of the priestess despite his current apprehension towards her. He had planned to do the same with this one.

At his disappointment at encountering yet another possessed villager, Sesshomaru had already focused his attention on yet another trail of Rin's aura. But as he turned to follow it, the villager struck out a length of his slime like a long tongue wrapping around Sesshomaru's leg.

Sesshomaru's ire was instant, and as the slime began its rise, foolishly thinking it could drag him up with it, Sesshomaru unleashed his whip and split the slimes length in two. The villager vocalized its pain, an odd mix of a high pitch, human scream and the muffled groan of a mouthless monster. The piece of slime that had been latched onto Sesshomaru's leg, now detached from its originator, immediately lost its loose form and degenerated into a puddle on the floor reeking of rotting flesh. The scent of it caused Sesshomaru's nose to scrunch as he growled out his rage.

"I don't have time for you," Sesshomaru spoke through his clenched teeth as the villager moved for his next attack. The other aura Sesshomaru had moved his attention to was moving away, further and further by the second. What stood out to him, though, was the speed at which it traveled. No other trail of aura had moved so quickly before. Could it be her?

He couldn't waste time on this villager if it was! There was no other choice. Unsheathing the cracked Bakusaiga, Sesshomaru moved towards the villager and sliced the deformed figure down its middle.

The attack left the figure behind Sesshomaru, which twitched in its split form for a moment before its oily blood spewed out of it like a pressurized geyser and its body fell to the floor. The blood trickled down from above like rain, its droplets slick but sticky to the touch. It touched Sesshomaru as he resheathed Bakusaiga, which had struck out at Sesshomaru during the attack as well, leaving red streaks on his hand and up his arm. It was the same arm that had been injured by the priestess, but he hardly cared.

He gave a passing thought on the blood that fell on him, thinking of how long it had been since he had drawn blood from a human in such a way. It was surprising to find that a part of him missed such brutality, almost yearning for more human blood to be spilled, but this blood was soiled. Its decay permeated the air, and it made him sick. No matter. It was time to find Rin.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk," a venomous voice chastised him from behind. He knew this voice! For the end of his days, he would always know this horrid woman's voice! It was her; that red-haired demoness. "Your little priestess isn't gonna be happy about this."

His green whip lashed out the moment he turned, aiming straight for her hated face, but she dodged it with ease by leaning back on her heel. The whip passed her face with only a few centimeters of away, and instead struck the dead body she had been craning over, shredding it into another set of pieces.

"Really, Sesshomaru? I knew you were stubborn but I didn't expect you to be so dense. You don't want me to control your body again now do you?"

Sesshomaru didn't speak, and instead only snarled out in response, his eyes turning scarlet red as he prepared to transform into his larger form. The woman sighed, flicking a hand through her hair before speaking again.

"Fine. If that's how you want it." She lifted her hand, and like a constraint, Sesshomaru felt a heavy pressure all over his body. No matter how much he willed his power to rise and to transform, he felt his yoki compressing further and further inside him until it was whispered away like a light from a candle giving out. This was the second time today Sesshomaru's power had been stripped away from him. Him. The Lord of the West. One of the most powerful demons in existence and he had been made to seem no stronger than a pup.

"There, that's better," She hummed as she watched Sesshomaru's power dissipate, "Now, I think I'd like you on your knees."

Sesshomaru struggled against it. His legs shook beneath and his muscles burned with how much strain he fought to stay up, but in the end, his body betrayed him. His knees hit the floor.

"See, that wasn't so bad," She walked towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He wasn't a fool. This was her way of displaying her dominance over him. "You know, you give me a slight headache anytime you struggle against my will. Though you dog demons have always been hard ones to train, so I shouldn't be surprised."

"Where is Rin?" Sesshomaru managed to growl out, his body still shaking as he continued to fight to regain control of his body.

"Hmm? Rin? Oh, you must mean that small human child you care for so. Your surrogate child in a way. That Rin?"

"Yes, that Rin. Tell me where she is."

"Heh," She chuckled as she walked around him, bringing a hand to her lips in a manner that displayed a false innocence, "I don't know."

"Liar!"

"Well now. There's reason to shout at me, Sesshomaru. I gave you fair warning. Stay away from the priestess, or I take away something precious to you. Couldn't be any clearer than that. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"Bitch!"

"Oh-ho-ho. Lord Sesshomaru called me a nasty word. I must have struck a chord with you."

Sesshomaru growled, wishing he could strangle the woman before him. He was going to kill her for what she had done to Rin. And he would enjoy it.

"Keh. Don't tell me. You're planning on killing me, right?" She dragged a claw down his cheek, watching as a trail of blood moved down to his jaw, "So predictable, yet so delectable. It's a long journey for me to visit you, just so you know. The least you could do is appreciate my valuable time. Besides, I came to give you some words of wisdom, cutie."

She spoke the last sneer of a compliment while giving his chin a quick pinch before moving to sit on the sliver of a torso that remained from the villager. The body gave a disgusting squish as she sat cross-legged with one knee over the other, the slit in her clothing revealing much of her legs.

"Words of wisdom? Hn. The only wisdom you could dispense is the wisdom of silence should you ever learn to keep you vile trap shut."

"Sesshomaru, you are so rude. I'd hate to force your pretty mouth closed. Now shut up and listen. I don't what you're expecting to find or do once you manage to stop circling about and actually find Rin, but I can tell you this. She won't be that sweet little child you've come to care for. She'll be out to kill you the moment you step into her path.

"That doesn't matter!"

"Oh I know it doesn't matter to you, but it'll matter to her," she paused as she looked at Sesshomaru's muscles, twitching beneath their still form while waiting for the weight of her words to dawn on Sesshomaru. It didn't take long for a flicker of painful understanding to flash through the demon lord's eyes.

"You see," She continued, "outwardly, she won't be the little girl you know, but inwardly, that sweet little child still exists. And right now, she can see everything she's doing. Think of it like… being a prisoner in her own mind. How do you think she would feel if she witnessed her own little hands tearing apart her precious Lord right before her eyes? Not to mention all of the villagers she already turned. Yes, I imagine she's in quite the emotional trauma at the moment."

"Let her go!" Sesshomaru shouted, his voice in a rage but his mind pleading. "Let her go, or I'll-"

"Yes, yes. You'll kill me. I'm sure you can do much in that kneeled position of yours. However, unfortunately, I can't. No one can. And you know what's worse?" She stood from her seated position and stalked her way towards Sesshomaru, bending at the hip to whisper in his ear. "As long as she's possessed, her body will feel like she's slowly being burned alive, roasting over a hot fla-"

Sesshomaru's roar cut her off as his body jostled and shook. He was regaining control over his body, moving more and more with jerk until his knees were rising from the ground, and the red-haired woman took several steps back.

"Easy now. I'm almost done." She kept her distance from him, but her voice remained calm. From uphill, there came a blanket of thin water spreading across the ground where they stood.

"Oh, would you look at that," She looked up towards where the water was coming from, "It appears little Rin has finally broken out of the little border I made. She'll be much stronger now for when you face her. Now… where is she?" She tapped a finger against her chin as she looked from side to side until settling at a point, and extended out her finger towards that direction, "Ah. There she goes. Well, Sesshomaru, I've now told you what I wanted you to know and where she has gone. I'd say that's more than enough. Do try to keep your fight interesting, though. I'll be watching."

She gave a quick wave, and just as he had seen her do before, disappeared into a plume of thin smoke. Sesshomaru gasped as the pressure was relieved from his body, and fell on all fours. He inhaled heavily as his mind raced with what that woman had said and what she had meant; he would have to kill Rin.

* * *

Dun, dun, dun! Will Rin die? Will Sesshomaru Kill her? Find out next time on dragon ba- *cough, cough*- sorry, I mean, Find out next time in chapter 20!

If you enjoyed the chapter, please favorite and follow (those always pick me up) and leave a review! I love to know what ya'll think of the story or if ya'll have any suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, it's come to my attention that the story and the outline don't match up 100% (ah, the creative process. How difficult you are to contain), and while thus far I don't see anything that will really trip me up, I would love to know if ya'll suspect if I may have forgotten something (excluding Inuyasha. Don't worry folks, he's coming back! His absence is intentional). On my part, I've decided to start keeping a little note journal on the side of me from now on for anytime i veer off the outline just to help me keep everything in line.

Anyway, I hoped ya'll liked the update. I am going to bed now! Goodnight!


	21. Chapter 20: Shadows

OKAY! So I'm about to head to school, so this intro isn't gonna be long. I tried to provide a longer chapter like how I started out this story, and really appreciate your feedback and opinions on how yall feel about description, dialogue, pacing, etc. Those always really help me out, and I really do enjoy them as they help me become a better writer. Also, do yall think I should change the rating? I currently have it to T, and I'm wondering if I need to change it to M, not because this story is going to have smut -I don't write smut, sorry smut lovers- but I do have a lot of violence, and blood, and mentions of sex here and there -like once but it counts-.

Anyway, let me know what ya'll think! I hope ya'll like this update :)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 20: Shadows

The drumming of her feet as she ran through the thin coat of sloshing water echoed through the brush, through the branches of the trees, and through her alerted ears. Perilous exhaustion burrowed through her legs and up to her chest, where it clenched at her lungs and her racing heart. Her arms that pounded with a pressure akin to broken bones swung at her sides, the pain superseded by a mission to save.

All the while, the voice within her head continued to whisper the goings of events that transpired away from her immediate vicinity; the work of her friends blooming with success; the imprisonment of Rin within her possession; the red-haired demoness' claws toying with Sesshomaru's emotion by the push of her words. The voice told her all, from the unknown barrier cracking open like a dam, down to her immediate need should Sesshomaru catch up with Rin before her. One of them would die if she did not intervene.

And it was easy enough for Kagome to accept these words that pranced inside her mind so elegantly and flawlessly, almost as if it were a completely natural phenomenon that she, as a lacking priestess, had failed to experience before. The questioning of her sanity's quality had fizzled out of her thoughts so quickly that only a hint of its doubt flavored her actions in the form stumbling steps that could easily be mistaken for tiredness. Speaking to a voice in her head as she ran through the forest with a honed focus on an invisible, intangible 'light'. Hmph. It certainly wasn't the strangest thing to have occurred in her life.

So she ran with conviction and purpose. She ran through the bush and up a steep hill, over boulder-sized roots and out into a clearing. Where her feet had taken her was far beyond the border of the village and into a wilderness she scarcely knew, where none would hear her calls nor her hear theirs. The only solace to her sudden remoteness, which suffocated her with its drenching sense of isolation, was the aforementioned success of her friends. They didn't need her, and though she could not say the same about herself, this was no time to be hesitant and she continued her trek down her lonely path with only the voice as company.

 _You're almost there Kagome, just a little bit further. Lord Sesshomaru is already there. You must hurry._

"He's there? Is he okay?! Has he done anything to Rin?" The panic within her tumbled over her tongue and past her lips as she accelerated her foot fall into a crude sprint. A verbal silence clung in her mind, the presence of the voice suddenly too cramped within the confines of her crowded mind without speaking a single word. There was a quick skip in Kagome's heartbeat.

"Tell me if he's okay!" She shouted to the damp air around her, pleading for the voice to answer. The seconds it took to respond were an agonizing torment that seemed to stretch beyond unreasonable time.

 _He is struggling_ , it finally spoke, _Rin has injured him greatly, but he has yet to retaliate. He is struggling to bring himself to do what he believes is right._

"What is right? What does that mean?"

… _You must hurry._

Dashing over large, overturned rocks and freshly made craters that dotted the ground like pockets of empty graves, Kagome ran closer and closer towards the light until she felt it was right above her. The terrain was quiet but was without peace; empty of any animal rustling or the twittering of birds to ease the thickness in the air. It was an ominous silence that held the promise of death in its passing. But as the silence pulled away, there came a loud explosion.

Like two hurdling asteroids, they fell to the earth in a blinding speed, one plummeting the other into the hard ground. Disrupted soil and pebbles hurled out of their fixed positions in droves, clogging the air with their propelled flight to mask the area in their cloudy presence. Vibrations thrashed wildly from the ground and the wind, pushing their force against Kagome who struggled to maintain her ground while her arms covered her face.

Beyond the specks of gravel that flicked at Kagome's face, she could see two silhouettes that had momentarily ceased their attacks. A short, childlike figure walked with a hunched back while her flared hands guarded her midsection and appeared like a set of eagle claws. She stalked over to her weakened combatant who kneeled on the ground, the length of his hair still dancing in the wind as he pulled himself out of the crater.

She wasn't sure which part of her senses caught it first; had she heard the electrical hum first, or had her eyes caught the deadly green streak of energy before her other senses had caught up? Maybe she had felt the heightened charge in the wind. Either way, as a green spark of a blade became unsheathed, Kagome forced out her own power.

It pulsed out of her in erratic control, struggling to pass through her throbbing fingertips as though her power were clogged and only a trickling spurt of it could escape. She pushed for a barrier, but the amount that poured out of her was so thin, so disconnected, that she couldn't hold it. It curved out of her grasp in the form of a bright pink light bowing out in a wave of energy that ran through the space between Rin and Sesshomaru. It ran through its course as quickly as it had been formed, but from its fleeting power, it had managed to clear out the air and mar the two combatants in the process.

Kagome pulled her hands closed to her body, her fingers trembling from the hot stinging she felt inside them. A small slip of her power and this was how her body reacted? With numbing punishment? And she was going to save Rin?

The two whipped their heads around to glare at her. The evidence of her attack against Sesshomaru evaporated with the steam that left his face, leaving nothing but a common scowl he had gifted her with many times something told her this scowl held more acrimony than was per usual.

Rin, on the other hand, was worse for wares. A small body with such malicious energy that it visibly clouded the air around her and darkened her skin and her usually joyous eyes; Kagome could hardly recognize her. The cheerful child was now snarling like a maddened, hunger-driven dog. Her hair was wild and dirty, her kimono filthy and torn. And from this possession came scarlet red markings Kagome had never seen before.

Like an array of tattoo's, they were etched onto Rin's skin, emerging from beneath the folds of her kimono, up her neck and touching the curve of her jaw. Though she couldn't understand them, Kagome could tell they were a form of writing that was ancient and, in her case, incapable of understanding. Why they had appeared and what they were saying was far beyond her grasp of reasoning.

"Rin," Kagome said as she reached her arm out but Rin turned on her heels quickly and leaped away, catching the back of a flying beast that had appeared out of the shadows.

"Wait!" She called out again, but Rin didn't listen and continued to fly away. A grunt from behind her refocused her attention, and Kagome rushed to a rising Sesshomaru. She spoke his name, gave her apologies and her ramblings, but when she went to touch his arm, he smacked her hand away.

"Why must you always get in the way?"

"Sesshomaru… You were going to hurt Rin. I had to stop you."

"Hur-... Hurt? Heh." He mocked as he shook his head, refusing to look at her. Even so, Kagome knew he was in pain; true, agonizing pain. A pain that was greater than any wound that could be inflicted on the body, and the sound of it in his voice was so impactful, it brought her to the verge of tears, and a squeakish whimper escaped her lips. "You are foolish. And ignorant. You know nothing of what is happening."

"I know enough! I know that Rin is suffering and that you think the only way to release her from her possession is by…," She stopped herself, unable to say the words out loud and recognizing that even if she were able to, she wouldn't; the words alone would be as sharp as blades. When she spoke again, she was calmer and more tactful. "Listen, please. This isn't the only way. I can save her-"

"Spare me your false words," He spat and moved to chase Rin down again, only to have Kagome catch him by the arm.

"They're not false. I can save her." Sesshomaru mulled her words over in his mind, cautious about trusting her with something so integral to his life, but he wanted to believe. He wanted Rin to be saved and to see her smile as she always did when he saw her.

"How?" he questioned, holding his hope behind a steel reservoir in his heart's chambers that had begun to fill and spill through his guarded nature. A slight bend of an expression appeared on Kagome's face; not quite a smile and not quite a frown. It tainted the waters of Sesshomaru's hope, and doubt's murky shade began to creep up from the depths.

"How?" Kagome repeated.

"Yes, priestess, how. How do you plan to save her."

"Well… Umm…" The voice had never told her how. It simply stated that she could and that it would help her, but that she had to get to Rin first. Now Kagome rummaged through her conscious, hoping to pull out a voice that was now silent. She waited, mentally speaking, attempting to draw it out, but all that lingered in her mind was her own echo. Herself and no one else.

Sesshomaru barked out a laugh, staring at a place over her head with a look of disbelief on his face. His tongue pushed against one of his canines as his mouth lingered in a sneer. His eyes looked from one spot away from her to another as he subtly shook his head. He jerked his arm away from her hand and continued to walk towards the direction Rin had gone to.

"Wait," Kagome pleaded as she mentally begged for the voice to tell her something, anything. _Please! Before he leaves! Speak to me! Say something!_ But nothing came. "Sesshomaru, please… I-"

"Enough!" He snapped, his shoulders rising and falling with each angry breath. Kagome could feel the sharp edge of his aura as it pushed against her, willing her to keep her distance from him until he recomposed himself, and his voice came out calmer and burdened with defeat.

"Enough, priestess." He said with somber, "There is nothing you can do. Stay as you are, here, and out of the way. You'll only be a hindrance otherwise."

He was gone before she could protest. He flew in the air, towards Rin, and away from Kagome. He flew until Kagome could no longer see him, and only the clouds and the air swirled in the light blue sky. Then, and only then, did she fall.

There was a storm inside her as vicious and as wild as any hurricane. She pounded her fist into the ground. Vibrations ran up her arm and played ping-pong in the mushy marrow of her bones. She cursed inside her mind, asked why over and over relentlessly. All while the storm tore through inside her, making her raw with burning emotion.

"Where are you?!" Kagome shouted towards the sky, "I needed you! Why aren't you here?! Because of that, Sesshomaru…"

Kagome looked down at her muddy hands, colored brown and red from her assault on the earth, and thought of their tangibility in comparison to the voice; a voice that had been there one moment, and gone in the next. A voice that had disappeared as soon as she was in someone's presence and needed answers. It had abandoned her. Maybe it was never there at all.

Like stones from the heavens, Kagome felt her isolation beat and weigh down on her, each stone a pound of her weakness smacking against her back. When she was bloody from separation and feebleness, her spirit a marked and torn up thing, Kagome clenched her fists.

Damn that voice, and damn Sesshomaru. Damn her crippling dependency and damn her delicate nature. They all left her alone and brittle, feeling useless and guilty for her incapability to save a friend. No more. It didn't matter if she was unskilled and powerless, or emotionally brittle with desolation. Her hangups would not bare her down from doing what she needed to.

Wiping the last few droplets of tears from her face, Kagome stood up with the fortitude of a mountain. She felt hot coals in her belly churning inside her, filling her with the same dynamism of a steam engine. So when she ran again, her reiki pushed out of her almost involuntary, propelling her forward with its aggressive energy. It gave a subtle burn, but she didn't care. These weren't strides of hope that everything would be alright. These were the pounding feet of conviction. And as she veered into a sharp turn, leaping with such distance she resembled a demon herself, Kagome spun into the center of the battlefield and expelled the thickest barrier she had ever created.

A loud _crack_ matched with an array of dispersing, green light rumbled against her fuchsia barrier patterned with specks of glowing white light. Looking outside the barrier, she could see a rose-colored Sesshomaru struggling to come closer to a barrier that hummed with purifying power and struck out at him when he came to close. Upon her hands were the hundreds of dots that stippled her skin like the constellations stippled the sky, decorating her with their red color of busted capillaries. A single second marched on before the red began to expand, reaching out to the other surrounding dots in a pattern that mimicked a spiders web, as though someone had begun to play connect the dots on her skin. Her fingers were numb, and her forearms felt foreign. There was little certainty that she could still summon her power if she needed to defend herself, and she was effectively trapped inside a barrier with a possessed Rin.

The air in her lungs catapulted out of her as a hard kick rammed itself into her side, launching her off the ground and into the air where she slammed against the barrier before dropping down to the floor. Her lungs shook inside her as she gasped for a breath that never seemed to come until she felt the tight pull of her hair. The world swirled around her as her head was hammered into the ground, once, then twice, then three times with only short bursts of blurry vision peeking through the intense blackness. A warm liquid began to puddle where her face met the dirt, and Kagome briefly wondered if she were being slammed into a small puddle of water.

A cry touched her ears that reminded her of her own voice, and then she felt the brief comfort of the air as any semblance of earth or gravity was ripped away from her. The weight of her body brought her back down as her body rolled. Gravel stuck to her face where the warm liquid remained, and she struggled to see anything beyond the blurs and crossing layers that twisted and turned until they were in a somewhat stable state. Two Rins with overlapping bodies walked towards her, their smile wicked and their heads tilted amusingly, but even still, Kagome could sense Rin's light.

"Rin," Kagome's voice came out hoarsely, "I'm here, Rin. It's okay. You're not alone. I'm right here with you-"

Rin shrieked as she moved to punch Kagome in her backside. Kagome shut her eyes, embracing for the impact against her kidney, but instead felt the rumbling of the earth beneath her belly. Opening her eyes Kagome peeked at the hand that nearly struck her, tightly clenched into a fist and pressed against a mildly cracked ground. Rin's mangled black hair covered her expression, but a line of light was caught by something falling from her face. It cast the reflection out like a sparkling star until it hit the floor, where the tear the light had been riding puddled out.

"Rin?" Kagome struggled to rise on all fours as a shaking Rin huffed and snarled. She reached out towards Rin, twisting at her abdomen as she balanced herself on three limbs, her ribs aching in the motion. Her fingers brushed Rin's arm, and the subtle touch brought an abrupt and violent reaction out of Rin, who roared at Kagome before grappling her shoulders and pinning her against the barrier wall.

Kagome's shoulders were pierced and bleeding onto Rin's plunged fingers. She whimpered at the wounds but pressed her teeth together as she fought through the pain. A single observation lit a new fire beneath her will to save, providing her with stronger determination. Upon Rin's face, which glared at her with deadly intent, was the moist evidence of tears; Rin's cheeks were wet. She was crying.

"It's okay, Rin," Kagome repeated, her own eyes filling with empathetic and painful tears, "I'm right here. I'm not giving up on you."

Tender arms linked themselves around Rin, regardless of the rapid lines of shock that traveled from her injured shoulders. She pulled her close and felt Rin's hands claw at her back, cutting her open, and she felt the warmth of Rin's tears.

There was no power in her as Rin's screeches scraped her ears. There was nothing of her that was of use at all. Only her kindness could be offered; it was all she had. She wept her own set of tears as she pulled Rin into a tighter embrace as she continued to be assaulted, but she would not let go.

"It's okay! Rin! I know you're there. I know you're fighting. I see the real you! Even if you don't, I do!" She spoke these words as a prayer, similar to how she would summon her powers when practicing something new, and suddenly, there was a shift. It was only a small whiff of a change, but Kagome caught notice of it.

There was a pulse of power coming from outside of her, cool in comparison to her own warm purity, but Kagome recognized it as a priestess's power. It flowed into her in a small trickle, but it reignited her own power, breathing life into it. The stronger it became, the greater Kagome's senses grew, and it was in this growth that Kagome became aware of the shadow that lingered behind Rin's light.

She hadn't noticed it before as the light she had been sensing from Rin had effectively hidden it from her, but now that she held onto Rin, it was as though she were peering behind the wall of light. The shadow, in its vile and thickly coiled mass, could no longer hide. And it was pinned right inside Rin's chest.

Kagome could see the way it swirled inside Rin while sprouting hooks that burrowed into Rin and her light. She could see how it bristled out every few seconds as though it carried its own heartbeat, and how it was leeching off of Rin as if she were nothing more than a snack. This was it. This was the thing that had been controlling her.

She didn't know what it was, or how it had gotten inside Rin. All she knew was that she had to get it out. Feeding off of Rin's power that was pouring into her, Kagome pushed her own power into Rin's body. Unsure and scared, Kagome moved her power clumsily and with uncertainty, but as her power touch the shadow, she saw it recoil and move away. Taking in this confirmation, Kagome forced more of her power into Rin, pulling back her barrier to use its residual power to heighten her's.

Rin struggled against her, but Kagome held on. This would save Rin, she was sure of it, and as she pushed the shadow further and further, centimeter by centimeter, she could feel Rin's struggle becoming more complacent. With one last push, Kagome struck her power against the shadow like a spear, and it fell out of Rin's chest as a stone and into Kagome's lap.

Immediately unconscious, Rin's languid body dangled in Kagome's weak hold, and, after using so much of her power in a single day, Kagome felt her own lethargy begin to take hold. Her eyes drooped, and her breaths became long and slow. And when her body could no longer hold her up, and the world tilted to match her falling, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself in a warm embrace and resting on someone's chest, rather than the cold hard floor she had been expecting.

Rin, too, was taken from her grasp and was resting against the same person that held her. Looking up from her comfortable resting spot, Kagome gazed upon Sesshomaru's face, whose eyes were hidden behind the fall of his bangs.

"Is Rin okay?" she mumbled pass her numbed lips, her eyes threatening to shut on her.

"Yes," he spoke, surprising Kagome with the cracks of emotion in his voice, "Rin is well. Thanks to you."

"Thank goodness," Kagome sighed as she tilted her head back down and fully rested against the nook between his arm and chest. There was a moment of pause as she took in a breath of scent, almost drowning in it, while her heart lurched a bit in pain. Rather than linger on it after such a magnificent triumph, however, Kagome decided to push it aside for now, and worry about it later. There was one other topic that rang through her mind, though, as her eyes closed shut.

"Hey, Sesshomaru?"

"Hn?"

"Do you think, maybe, next time, you can NOT tell me what to do? I'm clearly not good at listening to you anyway." She would have laughed, had dreams not already begun to pull her away into a well-deserved slumber. Behind her eyes, she could see the fuzzy figures of people and objects her dreams had brought to show her, and as she began to drift away, she thought she felt a single drop of rain touch her cheek.

"Of course, priestess."

"Damn that priestess!" Her shouts rumbled the walls of the cave, causing every demon inside the lengthy abode to shiver and scurry into hiding. Even the demons inside the pit shrunk to the lowest level possible for fear that her anger would roll onto them. She was so content earlier, pleased with the ease in which she had manipulated Lord Sesshomaru, only to have her efforts foiled by that blasted nuisance of a lowbrow priestess! "Damn her!"

She roared more than she spoke inside the large, spherical room. Kikyo was yet again suspended in the air, her wrists and ankles bound together as she hung in a bent position, a fire licking at her backside. She had been this way for hours, her spirit-self pleading for rest from the constant blistering and burning she had been subjected to. But it never ended, and the pain never stopped, because she continued to heal as quickly as she was burned.

Kikyo's body was still encased in its crystal holding behind the red-haired woman's throne, and to the side of that was the woman's young daughter whom Kikyo had come to know as Amellis.

"Mother-"

"Shut up!" The woman smacked Amellis across her already bloody face, "You ignorant slave. In case you can't tell, I'm a little UPSET HERE!"

She roared again, this time swiping her claws against Amellis cheek before returning to her back and forth pacing.

"Damn that priestess and her relentless do-good-ery. I was so close to creating that tainted rift inside their hearts, and she has to go make everything _bright as rain_ again! I was certain she would stop chasing after I sent Rin that flying in'ei. Ugh." She slumped into her throne, taking the blood-filled goblet that rested beside it and brought it to her lips. She gulped down the drink, the blood flowing past her lips and down her throat to warm her from the inside as though it were alcohol. Sighing, she pulled the golden goblet away from her lips, swishing the remaining liquid around counter-clockwise.

"Now look at me," She said almost mournfully, "That darn girl has me stress drinking. Hmm. Not to mention that now they have the stone. Oooh." She tilted her head back and shut her eyes as she pouted, her bottom lip puckering outward more than the top. With her free hand, she ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the soft silk against her skin. It was a small comfort that brought back certain bittersweet memories for her; memories of a certain love's affection, and the way in which he would suck on her bottom lip as he caressed her hair. Again she sighed as she pulled her thoughts away from her memories, and bent to place her elbows on her knees while she rested her face in her palms.

"Maybe it's not so bad that they have the stone. Even if they figure out what it is, it won't get them very far. Still, I have to wonder how that idiotic priestess was able to figure out how to save that little girl, or even that she could. And then what she did to my in'ei. And that does not even mention the change in Inuyasha's direction. Hmmm…" In fact, the change in Inuyasha's journey was particularly peculiar. He was dead set on finding Kikyo, even giving into his demon blood to take him farther than he normally could, and all of a sudden he just wants to go back. She was never significantly insightful when it came to the minds of half-breeds, but even so, she imagined that his love for Kikyo would have driven him to madly search for at least a full week, not a mere three days before returning to his dulled out lover. Perhaps there had been some form of interference she was unaware of.

Yes, the more she thought about it, the more the idea seemed more likely. Perhaps the lowbrow priestess was more intelligent than she first assumed, and perhaps Inuyasha was more dutifully in love with the cheating girl. Though, given her previous interactions with humans and half-breeds, it would be a rather shocking thing to have found either one of these alone. And she had found two. It was more probable in her mind that someone had been manipulating her toys behind her back. She shifted her cold gaze towards her slave of a daughter. The little Mynx's spirit had never been broken to her liking, even after all these years of torment. If anyone had the gall to defy her, it would be her little slave.

"Amellis."

"Yes, mother."

"Did you know," Her mother smiled as she caught Amellis tilting her head lower as to hide her face behind her choppy bangs. _Ah. Trying to hide your eyes from me?_ "When you were younger, I would take you to the river? As a babe, you were absolutely drawn to the water."

"You did?"

"Yes. Humph… I would try to drown you in that river every day."

Amellis visibly shivered, her shackles clinging as she shook. Her mother gave a quick gesture with her hand towards the guards, who opened to door behind them. Tseuno stepped in a spiked collar and chain in his hands, with the spikes on the collar facing inward. His usual frown was replaced with a wide, twisted smile, and the dim lighting in the pit room accentuated his ferocious, wolverine demon features. Amellis pulled at her shackles in a futile attempt to provide more distance between her and her tormentor, who slowly stalked towards her.

"No. No, please! Don't, please!" She pleaded, her watery tears mixing with her bloody ones. Tseuno shoved his large hand beneath her tiny jaw, and pushed upward, forcing her teeth to mash into each other. As she struggled, she heard laughter, and when the felt the cold, sharp rods, she heard her own gurgled screams. They punctured her skin, burrowed deep into her throat, and when she tried to breathe, they vibrated inside her, perpetually choking her from within her throat. Unable to control herself, she began to gag, her body attempting to force out the foreign objects out and only making it worse. And the pain. There was so much pain. A constant stinging and biting, a parade of her nerves scathing in agony and a sharp pain radiating outwards until she felt hot from her head down to her chest.

"You never died," Her mother continued as though Amellis wasn't writhing on the floor, "No matter how much I tried to kill you, you never died."

She motioned her hand again, and Tsuneo pulled and dragged Amellis on the floor, his smile never faltering. Again she pointed towards to the guards, this time summoning them to her, ignoring the screams of her daughter, or not caring enough to notice any longer. As Gozaru and Zuniike walked towards her, she mumbled to herself.

"Maybe them finding the stone, isn't such a bad idea. I could certainly use it to my advantage. Hehe. It might even be fun. As for Amellis… well… I'll see what she does next. I have yet to catch _doing_ anything yet, so I'll just have to keep my eye out. Ah, you two."

"You summoned us, My Lady." The two tiger demons spoke simultaneously and bowed deep in her presence.

"Yes, I did. I have a job for each of you. But first, I grow tired of Kikyo's burning. Let's find something more entertaining, shall we?"

* * *

I feel really bad for what I put Amellis and Kikyo through. Please forgive me!

Anyway, wishing yall a great next few weeks, God Bless, and I will see ya'll in the next update! Bye-bye!


	22. Chapter 21: The Stone

Phew. This one was a long one.

Hello, my dear wonderful readers! I have good news. Today I will be sending out two updates! *shouts in celebration*

I'll be honest, there was a lot in this I wanted to cut, however, because of how I have everything planned and how it all comes into play later, I decided not to.

Anyway, I hope y'all like it!

* * *

Chapter 21: The Stone

There was a brief moment where everything was believed to have been a dream. With widened eyes still fresh from slumber, Kagome looked up at a darkened ceiling with no hole above nor broken planks below, and she relaxed from what she assumed had been a nightmare. Yawning as she stretched her surprisingly sore muscles, Kagome glanced to either side of the room and finding herself to be utterly alone. She wasn't quite sure what she had been expecting, a room full of crowded villagers struggling to sleep or only a snoring Kaede resting beside her, but it sparked up the question of when had she gone asleep? How much had been a dream? Did Sesshomaru resurrect the villagers? Had he returned as angry as he was? Had there been a kiss? Oddly enough, she hoped there hadn't been.

As she laid there on her side, looking into a darkness that seemed to look back at her, she felt her own heart's darkness grow inside, cold and carnivorous, and birthed from guilt. _Ugh. Inuyasha._ She cradled her face in the palms of her hands, hoping to hide from the guilt that ate her and made her want to squirm from its slimy presence. That kiss had spoken volumes to her desires, and it was burdened by the fact that she was technically still dating Inuyasha, as toxic as their relationship was.

"Ugh. Don't think about girl. Everything's fine. It was just a dream. It's not like you did anything… Of course, that's what Inuyasha said about his dream of Kikyo, and I gave him hell over that. Ugh!"

Kagome couldn't shake off her hypocrisy, no matter how much she told herself it wasn't the same. She had never dated or had been in love with Sesshomaru. Inuyasha had gone, left her, and if he returned she planned on officially breaking up with him, or so she attempted to explain to the shadows. It all left her feeling sickly, with a cold sweat appearing on her brow, as she repeated to herself, "It was just a dream. He doesn't have to know. It was just a dream."

A sound like wings flapping, of something heavy caught in the wind, seemed to mock her futility, laughing in a voice so low and ghoulish. She thought perhaps Buyo had slipped into the hut, but the sound was too heavy for his little body to create. Maybe it was a crow or a bat. Curious, she sat up and looked around the room once more. Again, she concluded that she was alone, and the only thing that seemed to be odd was the glow of a dim light on a small section of the wooden floor that came and went repeatedly with each flap. She looked up, following the direction the light was coming from, and saw a pitch black ceiling. The flapping had ceased, and Kagome pouted, her curiosity unsatisfied.

Content with the idea of ignoring whatever the noise was, Kagome thought of lying back down again when the flapping sound returned and the tarp on top of the ceiling pulled back, revealing the night sky. Kagome sat there, motionless, with only the sound of her breathing indicating she was not made of stone. She had been wrong to assume it had all been a dream. Wrong to believe she could hide her emotions and desires.

She placed a finger on her trembling lips, filled with minor jubilance and a slight pang of uncertainty, and then she moved to touch her face, feeling its tenderness beneath minor inflammation. It was nothing compared to what she should have been feeling, considering how much damage she had taken before. Someone had healed her, and she had a good idea who it was.

Kagome stood, decidedly leaving her guilt on the floor to think about later, and crept towards the hut's door. Outside she could hear various voices bantering and arguing, and she pulled back the bamboo curtain ever so slightly so that only a fly could slip in through the narrow slit. From where she peered out, she could see her friends, appearing distraught and angry.

Miroku stood with crossed arms that pinned his staff to his body, and while he carried his head low, Kagome could see the scorn on his face as he shook his head back and forth. To the right of him was Sango, who had her fingers dug into her pinned up hair and she paced back and forth, stopping once to bring her arms down as she looked up towards the sky in disbelief and resentment. And resting against a tree as she sat crossed legged with a still unconscious Rin in her lap, was Kaede. Her face was more sorrowful than angry, and from a light glow from a nearby torch, Kagome could see blood on Kaede's clothes.

Kagome threw the curtain back, catching everyone's surprised attention as she darted out of the hut and towards Kaede.

"Kaede, what happened? Is it Rin? Is she okay? Why are you bleeding?"

"Calm ye-self, child, everything is fine. Ye should be sleeping."

"If everything is fine, then why are you bleed…" Kagome stopped, her hand clutched to Kaede's sleeve that she had pulled back only to find that Kaede's arm was fine. She sat back on her heels, her legs pinned beneath her as she looked on in confusion.

"That is your blood priestess," Sesshomaru spoke from her left, startling Kagome. She hadn't seen him before when she peeked out the door and had assumed he wasn't there. "You were greatly injured."

Kagome looked at him, and then to her friends, and then back towards him. They stood opposite each other, with Sesshomaru standing alone to her left, while her friends were at her right. The air suddenly felt thick and oppressive, as though a single word could spark an explosion. The most notable fuse was Sango, who glared at Sesshomaru as if he were a demon to be killed.

"What's going on?" Again, everyone's gaze shifted to Kagome for a brief moment before returning to their own fixed rage. The only one whose gaze lingered on Kagome was Sesshomaru. The way he stared at her, with an aloof distance between them that grew deeper and longer, leaving her shivering in the cold of his gaze, away from any warmth he could provide her, was filled with pity. Why did he look at her this way? Why did he suddenly feel so far away? She felt he looked at her as if she were this cold, wet thing left naked to tumble in the wind. Unable to bear it much longer, Kagome pulled her eyes away and scrunched up her shoulders, as if they were a shell she could hide behind.

"It's nothing, Lady Kagome-"

"Like hell it's nothing!"

"Sango-"

"Miroku, this isn't something your good nature can sweep away. You shouldn't even be trying to defend him!"

"Can someone just please tell me what's going on?!" Kagome shouted.

Sango was the first to open her mouth, but despite herself, nothing escaped her lips, and she, too, began to look upon Kagome with pity. And though Sango's gaze was more sympathetic and warm, Kagome found it equally sickening that her friend would even look at her in such a way. Kaede was one that didn't move or look at her and instead chose to carry on her sorrowful stare at the ground, as if she hadn't heard Kagome at all.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku spoke, and she thankfully found his gaze to be one of condolence rather than pity, "I'm afraid it's not our place to say."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Miroku looked over at Sesshomaru, who made no expression or movement, and after a long breath of silence, Miroku began to move away, "We should be going. Lady Kaede, Lady Kagome, I wish you both a well night. I will let you know if I find anything that could help Rin. Sango."

Miroku gently pulled on her hand, edging her to follow him, but Sango refused to move. Again, she appeared as though she would strike down Sesshomaru for something Kagome knew nothing about.

"Sango, love, we can't keep Kirara with the kids forever, and we must send word to your brother." At this, Sango shifted to some degree, a brief crack in her hold against Sesshomaru. She looked at Miroku before giving a short nod in acceptance, but before she took his lead, she whirled back towards Sesshomaru, pointing a finger at him as if it were a weapon.

"You better tell her what you told us, Lord Sesshomaru." she snapped, before turning away and allowing Miroku to guide her.

 _What's going on? What does Sesshomaru have to tell me? Why couldn't anyone else tell me and why is he looking at me that way? That way… Like how Inuyasha looked at me that one time, when I caught him and Kikyo together and he… Is that what Sesshomaru… is that why none of them would tell me?!_

"Lady Kaede, is Rin okay?"

"Hmm… I do not know. The child appears to be sleeping, but she does not wake."

"Oh. Well, let's take her inside. She was possessed. She might just need to rest for awhile."

"Ay, that's exactly what I've been thinking. However, Lord Sesshomaru, do you not wish to take the child with you as you initially planned?

Kagome could feel his eyes on her, waiting for her to look up at him. _Why? Don't ask me to. Please, stop. I can't look at him now. I won't._

"No," He finally spoke, allowing Kagome to breathe, "She may stay here. I no longer believe she is in danger."

"Very well. I shall take her in then."

"I'll come with you, Kaede." Kagome began to follow, keeping her back to Sesshomaru.

"Priestess, wait."

"I'm really tired Sesshomaru," she feigned a yawn as she stretched her arms above her, "Can't it wait?" _Please, God, no. Don't do this now. I don't think I could handle it._

"Now would be best."

 _Oh no._ This was it. She didn't know how he would say it, only that he would. Would he say she wasn't good enough? That she was far beneath him? A disgusting human not worthy of his affection? Maybe he would be kinder, and just say it was a mistake. That he never meant to kiss her and that it would be best if she forgot all about it. _I don't want this. I don't want to be thrown away again._

"Please, Sesshomaru. Not tonight."

"Why do you wish for me to be silent?"

 _Because your words will hurt too much._ "Because," Kagome breathed, already feeling the tight constraints around her heart calling her a fool for ever believing that Sesshomaru held feelings for her. "I just… I just want to go to bed, okay? Whatever it is, it can wait."

"Priestess-"

"Don't you have to go back to your lands or something?" she snapped, her eyes already foggy with tears. He wouldn't see her cry, not this time. She didn't care if he could catch the scent of her tears, he would not see that he did this to her. _Dammit, Sesshomaru. Dammit. Why was I so foolish. Why did I let you get so close that you could do this to me? I wish you would just leave. Dammit!_

"Very well," Sesshomaru said after a few breaths of silence, "If you wish me to leave you be, I shall."

 _Finally._ Kagome relaxed, though her heart's turmoil continued, spiraling further and further down till she was certain it would slip out of her chest. Tears finally broke free past her lashes, trickling down her cheeks, and she watched as they fell to the floor. When two sets of tears reached the ground, swallowed by the darkening dirt, she was startled by a carved stone that tumbled past her feet and onto the part where her tears had been falling.

The black, round stone with a silver and gold rim, cast her reflection back at her so she could see her saddened face on its mirror-like surface. The rim was shaped like a smooth diamond, with engravings all around its surface, while the stone sat at its center. It was a rather beautiful and dangerous looking thing.

"It was on your person when you saved Rin. Perhaps you can learn what it is."

Kagome turned back, her tears still on her face, but he was gone. When she looked up at the sky, she could only the see the orb of light for a few seconds before it had gone past her view.

She picked up the stone he had tossed at her feet. It was cold to the touch, as though it were a piece of ice, void of any warmth and almost painful to hold after a length of time. Ignorantly hopeful, Kagome pondered, _Maybe this was all he wanted to talk about_. But no. If that were true, her friends wouldn't have acted the way they did.

She stepped inside the hut, where Kaede was laying a sleeping Rin down in a spare mat, and she slumped down to the floor. With her arms wrapped around her knees that hid her face, Kagome began to weep. No amount of consolidation from Kaede could stop her crying.

~ • • ~

None approached her as she 'worked', for that was what she had called it. A full night of tears had turned Kagome's despair into a wrath as vicious and as dangerous as a Japanese moccasin, a mamushi, and any poor soul foolish enough to step too close to her was met with her venom. It did not matter their reason or their relation, for her anger was an unleashed snake coiled and waiting to strike in any direction. Onlookers compelled with curiosity soon learned to watch from afar, beside the wiser Miroku and Kaede.

Within her fumbling hands, she held the stone that bit at her with the passion of dry ice, running her fingers along the rim's engraving. In the morning hours, she had already accepted that the strange markings were far beyond her knowledge and indecipherable, and now simply twisted and turned the mysterious item so to appear as though she was doing something for the hopeful sake that the others would leave her be so she could stew in the boiling pit that resided inside her.

Its warmth was as wild as a flame, with the licks of fire tasting various thoughts to cast her anger towards. The voice, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, that woman, her friends, her idiocy, Sesshomaru again, Inuyasha a few times more, the voice, then herself, Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru, and a repeat of the cycle. Each thought ran over the other so that they collided, few surviving long enough to finish a sentence before being overshadowed by an equally enraging thought. They were shouting -shouting!- and rattling cages, tearing blockades down the street of her mind in an aimless riot, shouting for justice without proclaiming the crime for there were too many to count! They were the popping bubbles of the boiling pit, multiplying as they dragged out the flames from beneath so that the heat echoed through her veins, scalding her from within until the ice fell out from her hands in a maddening throw that sent the stone skimming across the ground.

There was an audible, collectively muffled gasp from behind her, the group of villagers that had gathered surprised by the priestess sudden reaction. With the stone out of her hand, she could feel the heat of her anger now roll down her back, rocking her back and forth as she collapsed her forehead into her cooler hands. The contrast in temperature found its way in calming the edge of her wrath, the coolness from her palms ebbing away a headache from the heat. For an extended breath of time, she milked the sensation for all it's worth, but when the crunching of dead grass beneath light footed feet reached her ears, she found the time spent not to have been enough.

The sound ended beside her, and Kagome was gratingly aware of another person's breathing outside of her own. After another failed attempt to draw out the cooling sensation, Kagome broke her bent position and looked up at the intruder, who was lucky to be spared from her anger when he approached.

"Miroku."

"Lady Kagome-"

"Go away." Kagome waived him off before pressing her fingers to her forehead and released an exasperated sigh when, instead of doing as she said, he took a seat beside her.

"Dammit, Miroku-"

"I will leave shortly, do not worry."

"Ugh! What do you want?"

"You are upset."

"Gee, what gave you that idea?"

"I had… expected you to be a different kind of upset."

She grunted a wordless response and watched Miroku place a finger to his chin from the corner of her eye.

"Hm. The only reasonable explanation I can think of for you to be this kind of upset is that you and Lord Sesshomaru failed to have a proper conversation worthy of an acceptable departure. Rather, in truth, I suspect no words were shared between you two at all." Miroku, with his eyes closed, sat in a stillness capable by only someone who had mastered the great art of meditation as he perceived the slanted glances of annoyance being tossed at him by Kagome. The longer she failed to respond or retaliate, the greater his confidence in his deduction became, and he tossed around the idea of telling her what had been meant for Lord Sesshomaru to share. Decisively, however, he disapproved of the thought. If there was a single notion that he found to be true in the whole scenario, it was that it was Lord Sesshomaru's right to tell Kagome what was so integrally personal and intimate for not only Lord Sesshomaru but for Kagome as well. That was why he had agreed so quickly to remain silent on the matter when Lord Sesshomaru asked it of them.

"Well, Kagome," Miroku continued, "am I correct?"

"And what if you are? Maybe I just don't want to hear it, okay? If it's so important, you, Sango or Kaede can tell me, but not from him. I don't want to hear it from Sesshomaru. Besides, it's not like it matters. I already get it. He doesn't have to tell me anything. I already know."

"Assumed wisdom is often obtained on a path of falsehood and disguised foolishness."

"Did you just call me a fool?"

"I am saying that you can never be certain of what you believe to know until an effort is made to discover the truth. If you don't listen to Lord Sesshomaru, then the truth will stay out of grasp, won't it?"

"Only if I'm wrong." Kagome feigned a chuckle, tucking her chin downward and shaking her head. She wasn't wrong. She was certain of this. This certainty rattled within her like a bird in a cage, its wings flapping with no exit to fly out of so its existence remained grounded in a single point. So perfectly visible. So perfectly right.

Miroku sighed, knowing he had gotten nowhere with convincing Kagome. He leaned over then, away from Kagome and towards the stone she had held and thrown, its presence in perfect balance with the ashen state of the ground despite its pop of color. It was as though this was the stone's naturally drawn environment; a place void of life. He perceived this without knowing the stone, but when he grasped it in his hand he felt the stone's hunger immediately, its frigid temperature a manifestation of its need to consume life and confirming what he had suspected.

"How much did Sango tell you?" Kagome asked as he still marveled at the stone.

"Enough for me to fill in the rest."

"Didn't you just say you shouldn't assume to know things."

"I have confirmed my suspicions with her. Lord Sesshomaru was also willing to tell us his share as well. At least, what little he thought was necessary for us to know. He was surprised to discover we already had an idea of you two's rela-... of you two's feelings towards each other."

Kagome peeked up at Miroku to see him looking off into the distance, his hands clasped together with the stone in between his palms. A meditative stance, but, as little as it showed on his face, he was scowling.

"Are you mad?"

He jerked as though caught off guard, and he looked at Kagome quizzically for a moment before relaxing and returning his gaze to some far off place that resided only in his mind.

"No, I'm not mad. It is not my place to judge another's life or actions, nor am I to say what they should or shouldn't do when it comes to matters so personal."

"But?"

"Ehh," he breathed out of his nose and shut his eyes. He pulled his words thoughtfully from his mind and framed them so that they, though gentle, expressed his concerns fully. "I ache in Inuyasha's place. While I am aware of the troubles you two have and continue to face, I cannot help but feel the betrayal you have committed. Even if he doesn't show it, I know that he cares for you. I ache for my friend, Kagome, just as I had ached for you."

Sourness lingered in both their throats. Like reflections in a mirror, they carried their heads low as neither spoke a word. The air stunk with their melancholy that draped over them like a depressive, dark cloud over their shoulders. Kagome curled and uncurled her fingers.

"I know." She finally spoke. Had the guilt not been chewing on the fat of her regret all morning long? Had the prospect of Sesshomaru choosing to leave her not set that regret into a maddened tailspin that entangled her in its deadly descent? She knew very well what she had done, and no amount of scapegoating would remove the hate she carried for herself.

"This stone is ghastly," Miroku said as he handed it to Kagome, who accepted its return, "To think that Rin carried that inside her body. You did a remarkable thing, Kagome. Who knows how long she would have survived if it wasn't for you."

"I don't know. I just got lucky. Sesshomaru gave it to me. He thought I might learn something about it but… I don't know why he thought I could."

"You saved Rin even when the rest of us didn't know how to. I could see why he would think you might know a thing or two about it."

"He should've just given it to his scholars."

"I doubt he'd want to risk losing it too…" Kagome raised an eyebrow at Miroku, who scratched his head with a light chuckle, "Sorry. Almost said too much. In any case, it looks like neither one of us have had much luck. I couldn't find anything that could help Rin. Nothing's worked. She still won't wake up. And then the villagers…"

"We lost ten of them, right?"

"Yes. We don't know where they are, or what's happening to them. Even if we were to get them back, how would we save them? They were too far gone for us to save before, and now?" Miroku shook his head, feeling the stress turn into a headache.

"It's like we're in a war zone, isn't it? Each day has felt like a week-long struggle, and it's only just started."

"Why here, Kagome?" Miroku groaned like an old man, his back hunched with a burden far beyond his years, "Why this village? Why us? I just don't understand it."

"I don't know either."

"Hmmm… Well," He said as he stood, "There's nothing else we can do except keep trying. Sango and I sent word to Kohaku and my master, Mushin, explaining what's happened here as well as asking for a journal from my father. Hopefully, the journal will have some information I can use, and perhaps Kohaku has learned something in his travels as a slayer. It's all perhaps, maybes and hopefuls, but what else can we do?"

"Shippo comes home today."

"Yes, I'm aware," He sighed, "Will you be alright, Lady Kagome?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Good. I'll keep an eye out for anything regarding the stone. Should I find anything, you will be the first to know."

"Thanks, Miroku."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a light squeeze. Kagome looked up at him, and there was sadness. Again, his eyes looked towards the distance, at nothing and yet at everything, their indigo color appearing bottomless with thought and knowledge. His brows were upturned by a small degree, and his breathing was slow and methodical with anguish.

"No matter what occurs," he practically whispered, "I will always be your friend, Lady Kagome. I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."

"I know. Thank you, Miroku." Kagome replied, slightly curious in the way he was acting. Miroku let go of her shoulder then and walked back towards Kaede's hut. In his hands was his staff, which he used as he walked, pushing it down onto the ground any time he stepped with his left leg. Was Miroku injured? How did she not notice? Kagome began to rise, thoughts about healing passing through her mind and ignoring the blatantly obvious as though the circumstance could change her dilemma when she stopped at the sight of them.

Sango held Miroku's face in her hands, their foreheads touching with their eyes closed. Sango whispered sweet words between them, her lips moving in soft motions. On her back was her son, and at their feet were the twins, who each held a different parents leg. It wasn't long before Miroku wrapped his arms around Sango, and tucked his face into the space between her shoulder and neck. As he spoke, Sango rubbed his back. It was beautiful and sweet, but also sad. There wasn't a single action between them that didn't carry a hint of sadness.

"I guess I'll just see him later," Kagome mumbled. _Way to go, girl,_ she berated herself, _maybe if I hadn't been so focused on myself, I would have noticed sooner- like, say, last night!- and I could've tried to heal him. At the very least, I could've bound it so it was easier to walk with. But no,_ _it had to be all about me! It had to be all about my guilt and rejection instead of my friends. Kami, I'm a horrible person._

"Oh great," Kagome said as she vocalized her internal voice, "now I'm crying. Ugh. You'd think I'd learn to stop talking to myself."

Kagome sighed, wiping her tears with both hands. Oh how she wished there was grass for her to lay on, so she could feel the blades against her skin as she looked up the sun. Doing so always made her feel better. Not anymore though. Now there was just the dust and ash.

She waited till Miroku left with his family, and the villagers, no longer intrigued by her curious state, dispersed. Kagome stood, and walked through the dead fields with a cloud of dust rising from her feet. She placed the stone in her pocket, and, more calmly, began to question its purpose and origin as she attempted to do before. She didn't fixate on the markings, for she already knew there was nothing she could learn from them. All she had gained was the fact that the markings were unequivocally similar to the equally confusing markings she had seen on Rin's skin, and in the end, that did not take her far.

No. Instead, she decided to focus on a different avenue altogether; who could give her the answers she sought. Miroku was already off the list until he received his father's journal of course. She doubted Sango knew, and Kaede had already told her she knew nothing about it the night before. Who was left then?

Immediately, her thoughts ran to the voice that had intruded her mind when this whole mess began, but it's presence was divorced from her. Since the moment it had marooned her to deal with Sesshomaru and Rin on her own, Kagome hadn't heard from it, even when she attempted to reach out to the voice. Perhaps that was for the better. She had begun to reason since the voice had appeared just as their turmoil began, that maybe the voice was a danger disguised as aid. Still, something about that didn't sit right with Kagome. True it had left her in a time of need, but Kagome couldn't deny the calming certainty that the voice gave her. It was as if it were her very own power communicating with her, guiding her in what to do.

"Hmm… maybe if I..," Kagome said as she peered over the river she had absentmindedly walked towards. The water was a muddy blue now, with some of the natural color returning. It was good news for the villagers, who, in between their moments of fear and rejoicing, had been speaking about regrowing the vegetation they had lost. Only a few spoke this way, the small number of busybodies who always seemed to find a reason to remain hopeful, and Kagome was ashamed to say she only realized their truly wonderful personalities after destruction had struck them. Tanaka, the pudgy rice farmer who had knocked on Kaede's door the night Sesshomaru resurrected the villagers, was, in her opinion, the driver of this way of thinking. From sweeping up the dust and ash to walking to and from the upper portion of the river with clean water, Tanaka was an unrelenting force determined to bring back the village's peaceful way of life, and the villagers were gradually following in his footsteps. It was a grateful relief to have such a person around during these times.

 _He's a good example for the villagers,_ Kagome thought to herself as she studied the light reflecting off the water, _No matter what, he never gives up._

"Maybe I shouldn't either," Kagome said as she reached down, placing the tips of her fingers into the water. It was cold, like the stone, and the blackness in the currents was thick, becoming separated when they parted in between her fingers, showing the blue of the river in short strips. She closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath, and, for another time, tried to summon her power.

She pulled and tugged with what she could only describe as her spirit, attempting to draw out her power as she had done many times before. Her cheeks and ears became hot and flushed from her holding her breath, and she shut her eyes tighter to force more of herself to draw out her power. But nothing came. There was no tingling in her muscles, no inner track of purity running between her cells at her command, and no expelling warmth and rejuvenation that extended beyond her body. Kagome opened her eyes, finally breathing, and saw that the river remained the same. There was no power inside her. Frustrated, she stood upright, slamming her foot into the ground.

"Dammit!" She cursed. With all her being, she refused to believe all her power was gone. Even if she couldn't utilize it, she knew it was there, could feel it's dull echo still inside her. It was simply dormant. But how was she supposed to wake it then? No part of her doubted that this was the core reason why she was unable to hear the voice. Even if that didn't make sense because the voice had left before she had used too much of power in saving Rin. This had to be the reason.

Rest and relaxation, Kaede had told her when Kagome told her about her unresponsive power. "Ye have simply used too much," she said. "Ye's power needs time to replenish," she had explained. But didn't she understand? Kagome couldn't rest and relax! She couldn't wait for her power to return! Not now! They were in danger! Even if the village was calm now, who knew when the next attack would occur. And Kagome needed the voice. She needed the answers that it could provide. She needed her power now.

"What do I do?" Kagome asked the ever silent sky. Her eyes were still sensitive to the light from her beating yesterday, and they stung and became watery as the light poured into them. Sesshomaru had healed her. It was the only way she was as well off as she was, though some damage still lingered. When she fixated on this, her cheeks would blush as she imagined Sesshomaru running his tongue across her open wounds so they would close miraculously, perhaps even kissing the smaller gashes. It made her heart trip despite herself, and Kagome would gnaw on her lip, filled with disappointment for being unable to shake off her rambunctious attraction towards him. She followed these habits almost diligently now, half thinking of going to him for help for the mere excuse to see him again, but she remained firm in her decision to keep a distance from him until she could handle what he would say. If she ever got to that point that is.

"Definitely can't go to him," she muttered. That left… no one. "Ugh!" She yelled as she kicked up dirt that fell into the river.

"Well, that certainly is one way to clean up the area."

"Eh? Oh," Kagome patted at her clothes in embarrassment, "Tanaka, it's you. Sorry."

"Ha! Don't be ridiculous!" He laughed a belly shaking laugh, "I have half a mind to join you! Why, I bet I can give it quite a beating, old age and all." Tanaka placed the bucket he had been holding onto the ground, a few drips of the clean water spilling out. His pudgy face was red from exertion, but he smiled regardless.

"I'm sure you could," Kagome said with a chuckle, her hands clasped in front of her. Rubbing his back, Tanaka walked to the edge of the river, and, with a victorious smile, gave a swift kick to the dirt that fell into the water.

"Take that you- oh!" Tanaka bent over, re-pressing his hand to his back, "Oh-ho! Haha, not quite as young as I'd like to be, eh?"

"Tanaka, are you okay?!"

"Oh, I'm fine, young priestess. It's just my old bones getting stuck in place. I'll be fine after I…" He paused as he popped his back with a _crack,_ "Ah. See, all better."

"Eh-hehe, I don't think that's what you're supposed to do."

"Really? It works for me. See?" He said as he raised his hands and squatted repeatedly, "Why, I could do a hundred jumping jacks if I wanted to."

"Please don't," Kagome said with a light laugh but with a concerned face.

"Hmm, If you say so," He complied and ceased his brief exercise, "Well, young priestess, what brings you out here today?"

"You can call me Kagome, Tanaka. I prefer it."

"I'm honored, Lady Kagome. So, did you finish your work?"

"Not exactly."

"Oh?"

Kagome shook her head. "What about you? I thought I saw you and the others bring in fresh water already."

"That we did! This water is for Lady Kaede, though. She's been using her water for the young child, Rin, so I thought I'd bring her some extra."

"That's very kind of you."

"Oh, no, no," Tanaka laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck, his red cheeks deepening in color, "I'm just doing what anyone else would. Anyway, is there anything I can do for you, Lady Kagome? Not to be rude, but you seem more frustrated than usual."

"I guess I have been a little on edge lately."

"It's not your fault, we've all been stressed lately. It hasn't exactly been peaceful around here."

"No, it hasn't," Kagome paused, and looked out past the water and the hills. She imagined the great expansion of land beyond her line of sight, rolling with hills, cliffs, and rivers, and suddenly felt a sense of dread creep up inside her. Beyond that line of the horizon was that woman, somewhere in the massive stretch of Japan, waiting to strike at them again. Kagome felt that at any moment, those rollings hills and giant cliffs and rapid rivers would all rise up as one single force, and engulf her and the village entirely. And what would she do if that were to happen?

"Tanaka, if I tell you something, can you keep it a secret from the rest of the villagers?"

"I can certainly try."

"Well, it's… it's my powers. I haven't been able to use them."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I don't know. It's just, anytime I've tried I haven't been able to summon them. It's almost like it's left me, but I know that's not it. I can still feel it there, I just can't get a grasp of it anymore."

"I see. Huh. That sounds quite a bit like what would happen to Lady Kikyo at times."

"This used to happen to Kikyo?"

"Hmm, yes. Back when Kaede and I were younger, we would often spy on Lady Kikyo. Lady Kaede was always very fond of her sister and wanted to be just like her, and in many ways, I was Kaede's tag along friend. Almost like her shadow. Ah, but I'm rambling. The point is, Lady Kikyo, eager to prove herself as a priestess, would often expend her powers beyond her limits. When that occurred, it would sometimes take her weeks before her powers replenished. Though, in the end, you could say that's what made her such a formidable priestess. She had such reserves and precision with her power that it seemed to have no end."

"Ugh! Weeks?! You're joking! I can't be out of commission for weeks, what if something happens?! There's got to be a way for me to get my powers back now! Didn't Kikyo have some kind of trick or something? Anything that sped up the process?"

"Uh, well… I don't know for sure if this is why, but when Lady Kikyo was a more experienced priestess, she would meditate during those times, almost to the point of obsession."

"Meditation? How is that suppose to help?"

"I'm not sure," Tanaka said as he shook his head, "But, priest and priestess use meditation in order to become more skilled in using their powers, don't they?"

"I guess. It's not like I've actually tried that. I'm not very good at meditating though."

"Well I can't help you there," Tanaka said with a belly shaking chuckle, "I'm afraid I'm only good at kicking up dirt! Perhaps Monk Miroku or Lady Kaede can help you."

"Yeah, maybe. Thanks, Tanaka. You've really helped."

"Anytime, Lady Kagome. It has been a pleasure. Now if you'll excuse me," He said as he lifted the bucket of water, "I must get this to Lady Kaede."

"I can take that for you if you like, Tanaka. It's the least I can do."

"That's alright, Lady Kagome. I prefer to take it myself. Gives me a chance to speak to a busy old friend."

"Oh, okay then." They waived away at each other before Tanaka took the water up to Kaede's hut. Yet another thing Kagome hadn't noticed in all her time here. It never even crossed her mind that some of the villagers could be some of Kaede's close friends. Kaede just always seemed like a protector for the villagers in Kagome's eyes, not someone who had strong ties of friendship among them. The more Kagome thought about it, the more she came to realize how little she knew about the village.

"Can't worry about that now though," she mumbled, "Kaede or Miroku, huh? Well… I guess I'll go to Miroku. He did say I could always talk to him. I'd rather not interrupt Tanaka and Kaede anyway."

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So, there's the end of that one. Luckily, Y'all get to move straight along into the next installment!

As always, reviews, follows and favorites are always appreciated! Much love 3


	23. Chapter 22: Floating

Alright! Chapter 22! (or 23 if you want to get technical)

Shorter than the last one, but I felt it was a good stopping point.

Whelp! Please enjoy :)

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Chapter 22: Floating

Kagome peeked around a tree, studying the area before making her presence known. The home, for it was significantly grander than any hut in the village, was remarkably calm and surrounded by lively vegetation with only a few gashes of evidence displaying dangers that had transpired the days before. They had built it close to well as a way to feel close to Kagome when she was away for those three years, as well as a sign of their hope that she would return. As it stood, it was remarkably elegant, with a walk-around patio and finely designed doors and windows. It was small, compared to the size of the growing family, but it was also welcoming and cozy.

Sango sat on the steps of the porch with her three children surrounding her. In her lap was hiraikotsu, which she polished with fervent attention, as Isas slept in a wood and wicker cradle Inuyasha had help Miroku make. Aimi and Airi played a short distance away from their mother, shouting things such as "take that demon," and "no one escapes a demon slayer" while chasing after an orchestra of crickets.

Kagome stepped out of hiding, feeling comfortable that she would not be interrupting anything important. Seeing her, Aimi and Airi quickly ran up, cheering her name while holding their hands up in hopes that she would lift them.

"Hey, you two. Oomph! Y'all guys are getting heavy, ya know that?"

"That's cause- That's cause we grow fast!" Aimi began, her tiny hands grabbing at the end of her pink kimono sleeves while Kagome held each twin on either hip.

"Yeah! Real fast!"

"So we can be slayers!"

"And pow-pow demons!

"And protect Mommy!"

"And Daddy too!" the twins gleamed identically, and if it wasn't for Airi's missing tooth or their different colored Kimonos, it would have been very difficult to tell them apart.

"I saw! Y'all were taking on some mighty demon's there!" Kagome said as she placed them back down on the ground.

"Tehe! Silly Kagome!"

"Yeah! Silly auntie Kagome!"

"Those aren't demons."

"Nu-uh."

"Those are crickets!"

"Chirp, chirp!"

"No, Airi, that's the wrong sound. Birds go chirp, chirp."

"Nu-uh. Birds go tweet, tweet."

Kagome laughed as she walked towards Sango, who smiled at her brilliantly. For a moment, everything felt fine as they greeted each other and Kagome sat beside her. It felt like ages since the last time Kagome had done this when in reality it had only been two weeks since her last visit to their home. She leaned over Isas's small cradle, who slept perfectly swaddled in his blue blanket that matched the blue ribbon on the cradle's handle. His face resembled much of Sango's, just like the twins, who were still bantering over animal sounds. Though Kagome could already see hints of his father peeking through from the shape of his nose and chin. _He's gonna look more and more like Miroku the older he gets,_ she thought as she extended her hand out to the tranquil child.

"He's such a calm baby," Kagome said, running a finger over his short, fine hair.

"Only in the daytime," Sango remarked with a laugh as she placed the rag and hiraikotsu on the porch before turning back to Kagome. "Oh, Kagome, your face."

"Hm? What is it?"

"It's still so puffy."

"Oh, that. To be honest, I kinda forgot about it." Kagome laughed, only, now that her attention was drawn to it, she could feel the strain on her face as she did so. _Gotta admit, that kinda smarts a little._

"If you say so. So was there something that you needed?"

"Geez, you don't have to say it like that! Maybe I just wanted to hang out with you and the kids."

"Haha, if only we had such luxuries I'd gladly believe you and enjoy your company. Unfortunately, I don't think that's the case anymore"

"No, you're probably right." They both paused momentarily, a moment of silence for their hope that cried for peace before Sango continued.

"So, what is it I can help you with?"

"Actually, I was hoping to speak to Miroku. Is he around?"

"He's right inside, making some sutras. Feel free to go on in, but mind the mess, please. He's not exactly organized while he works."

"I will, thanks. You two don't drive your mom crazy now!

"We won't!"

"We promise!"

Kagome looked back at Sango, who mouthed 'thank you', before stepping inside. Removing her shoes, Kagome looked around the entryway. It was interesting to see how much of their home could pass for one from her own time, from the indoor potted plants to the design of the kitchen, which had a wash bin installed into a counter, with bamboo piping used as a drain. It didn't matter how often she came to see it, it was always nostalgic for her. Inuyasha, as he had done with the cradle, was the one who helped them create their home this way. Back when she mattered to him; back when he cared and thought about her. It was almost painfully obvious to see how much he had stopped caring about her when she compared this home to the one he currently dwelled in; the one Sango had mentioned had been for both Inuyasha and her. Maybe she had deluded herself into thinking that he loved her when she had returned and had, within three months, grown apart from her. Instead, Maybe he had gotten over her during those three years.

Kagome shook her head. She couldn't think about this now. As with many other things of late, she would have to push it aside to think about later.

"It's not like it matters to me anyway… right?" A clang from across the hall successfully pulled her attention, followed by a stream of swears that were almost strange to hear in the voice she recognized. "Miroku? Is that you? Is everything alright?"

"Lady Kagome? Eh, yes. Uh, everything is just…. fine!"

"Hold on. I'm coming." She made her way down the hall, past the dining and living area so filled with outdoor light that it seemed to belong to a magazine, and past the children's room filled with drawings and wood and hay crafted toys. When she opened the door to the master bedroom, she was welcomed by an array of crumpled and torn papers all over the floor, and Miroku at the center with a small, shin-high table with incense and a small Buddha statue. At this moment, Miroku was cleaning up a puddle of ink that had fallen to the floor along with a handful of blank sutras.

"Um, Hi there."

"Ah, hello. It's good to see you again. I don't suppose you'd be willing to keep this from Sango, would you? I'm fully prepared to negotiate out a bribe if that's what it takes."

"Haha, don't worry about it. Here let me help."

"You have my many thanks."

"Don't mention it," Kagome responded as she wiped the floor with an extra rag Miroku had. When the work was practically done, she picked up one of the crumbled sutra's beside her and flattened out the paper.

"Huh? What's this? It looks a lot like the one you used before on those possessing tendril things."

"That's very observant of you. You are correct, it is like the ones I used or at least a poor imitation of it. It seems I've been struck by bad luck yet again today."

"I don't get it. What's the problem? If you made them before, can't you make them again?"

"In theory, yes, and so it is rather unfortunate that I must admit that I am not the one who made them before," Miroku said as he held his chin with his eyes closed.

"Eh?! If you didn't make them, then who did?"

"Well, they were given to me by my father, who was given to him by his father, and so on. So it's rather difficult to say WHO made them exactly, only that it was passed down in my family."

"Well, that's helpful. Don't suppose your dad's journal could tell you how to make them?"

"Chances are unlikely, considering Master Mushin had to convince my father to not throw them away before handing them down to me. I won't exactly be placing any bets on it."

They both gave a chuckle, but it was from astonishment rather than humor. Kagome looked at the sutra again, remembering her own grandfather. The memories were painful, filled with images of him in the hospital, covered with these sutras in true terror, but the sutra's in her memories were vague.

"I'm sorry."

"Hm? Whatever for?"

"I've seen these sutra's before, in my own time, but I can't remember what the differences were. I can't tell what you should change."

"You and I both. I had those sutra's for the majority of my life, and I can't fully remember what they looked like. I suppose I cared for them even less than my father had."

"Can I ask how you knew to use them against those things? It sounds like you never thought you would ever need them."

"To be honest, it was the strangest thing. It was almost as though something was telling me to use them. A being outside of myself, yet inside my own mind."

"A voice?! You mean you heard the voice too?" Kagome leaped, grabbing onto Miroku's arm and startling him. She hadn't told anyone about the voice she had heard and had expected them to treat her as though she was crazy if she did! Yet here was Miroku, saying almost the exact same thing she had been thinking to herself since she first heard the voice. When she grabbed onto him, it was her way of grabbing onto evidence that the voice wasn't just in her head, and that she wasn't alone. However…

"Huh? A voice? No, I wouldn't say it was a voice, more like a force. I never heard anyone speaking. I only ever felt a push guiding me."

"O-Oh…"

"Have you been hearing a voice, Lady Kagome?"

"W-What? Psh. No. What gave you that idea?"

"You asked if I had heard a voice too."

"Did I? I don't think I did. Maybe you just heard me wrong, Miroku. Besides, even if I did say something like that, I've been really tired lately. I barely even know half of the things I say, ahaha."

Miroku leaned forward, his eyes quizzical as he studied the nervous Kagome.

"Are you alright, Lady Kagome? You're acting rather strange."

"What? Noo. You're just overthinking things. Maybe you should take a break, Miroku. I think you've inhaled a little too much ink fumes."

"Riiight…" He said as he leaned back, still staring at her quizzically.

"Anyway! I came here because I was hoping you could help me meditate."

"Meditate? Well, yes, of course, I can help you, but may I ask why?"

"I… may have overdone it with my powers… I'm kinda hoping meditating can help me out…"

"Overdone it how?"

"...to the point where… I haven't been able to… use them?"

Miroku blinked, his eyes wide, as Kagome tapped her forefingers together sheepishly. For a moment, Kagome thought Miroku would say nothing, and perhaps get up and leave or simply stay there for eternity. What she hadn't expected was for him to smack his palm onto his face.

"Oh Kagome, that's just…"

"Will you help me or what?"

"Are you aware of the dangers you've placed yourself in? You could have easily lost your abilities forever! There's a chance that you have!"

"No, no. I know I haven't. I can still feel my power there, I just… can't reach it, I guess."

Miroku sighed before he responded. "Very well. Yes, I will help you, but only if you promise to be more aware of your limits."

"Yes, yes! I promise."

"Hmph. Come on, then. It's best if we do this outside, where you can draw on the tranquility of nature."

"See, I didn't even think of that! What would I do without you Miroku."

"Don't thank me yet. We still have to see how well you'll do."

~ • • ~

They were by the well. It was Miroku's decision, as he thought this would be the place where she could best focus. When they arrived, Kagome was drawn to the damaged wood, more grey than brown and with deep ridges along the planks. Every inch held evidence of Sesshomaru's presence, with some marks significantly fresher than others.

 _He hasn't stopped? When did he have the time to keep trying? Was it after he resurrected the villagers? Before? Some of these look like they were just made…_

"Is everything alright, Lady Kagome?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Sorry, I was little distracted."

"I see. Perhaps it's better if we move then?"

"No, this is fine. I like it here. I promise to focus." She confidently confirmed as she slumped to the floor to sit cross-legged, pleased that she had the good fortune of choosing her priestess garb today rather than her other skirted outfits. Ignorant of Miroku's disapproving nod, Kagome placed both palms on the ground, twining her fingers through the blades of grass she had been yearning for. She was convinced that, had she gone another day without relishing the touch of vibrant earth on her skin, she would have forgotten the sensation entirely.

"Lady Kagome?" Miroku pulled her attention, sitting across from her. He tilted his head towards her, in a curt manner that cut her from her daydreaming and compelled her to pull her hands into her lap. "Please, try to stay focused."

"Right! I will! Trust me, I'm completely focused."

"Very well. Then let's begin," Miroku began instructing her, informing her on how to position her hands and feet, and how to find her balance so that her stance mimicked Miroku's, though her breaths caused to her move more than Miroku's statue-like self. "Very good, Lady Kagome. That's almost perfect."

"I feel like I'm about to fall over."

"Haha, keep practicing. You'll get used to it eventually."

"Alright, so what's next?"

"Now, I'd like you to close your eyes."

"Okay." Kagome did as he said, and shut her eyes. This was different from any other time she had attempted to meditate on her own, as she was acutely aware of how unstable her balance was, especially with her eyes closed. Not seeing anything had immediately cranked up her other senses, and she could feel the sway with every breath. When the wind moved, she could feel it push against her, and where she sat she could feel the bend of the earth. She found herself struggling to stay upright and in the appropriate position.

"Don't squeeze your eyes, Lady Kagome. Relax. You're not going to fall over."

His affirmations grounded her, and she took a deep breath in response, allowing herself to feel the shifts around her without struggling against them.

"That's it. You're doing much better," Miroku's voice continued to calm her, and she noticed how, with her eyes closed, it was almost difficult to pinpoint where and how far away he was. When he spoke, she found his voice drawing and securing, seemingly all around her. As she focused on the sound, Kagome felt a rise of respect grow inside her as she felt the foundations of their mentorship begin to settle. Miroku was her teacher at this moment, and as a student, Kagome admired him.

"Mediation draws out power from the mind. I want you to focus on that. Imagine there's a line connecting the sky to your mind. Now focus on that point where the line and your mind meet. Have you done it?"

"Yes," Kagome responded, her voice sounding almost like an echo, as though someone else as spoken away from her.

"Good. Stay focused on that point. Push aside any outside thoughts or any stresses. Anything that has been troubling you no longer exists. There is only now, and the point. How are you doing, Lady Kagome?"

"Hmm." Kagome hummed a response, her body suddenly feeling like something outside of her, and she was unable to move her lips. There was only the point, and, from within the darkness that blanketed her eyes, Kagome believed she could almost see it. A faint light flickering beyond her eyelids.

"That's excellent. Now, this is where it becomes difficult. I want you to drift. Allow your mind to float. No matter where it goes, the line will follow."

Despite his claim that it would be difficult, Kagome did as he said, and she felt her consciousness bob up and down like one does when they float on water. She could practically feel the currents, could imagine herself floating in a pool of water, and as she fell deeper into the drift, the light beyond her eyes began to expand, it's pink hue calling out to her. In her mind, Kagome moved towards it, swimming on the currents of her consciousness as she came ever closer to it. In the distance, she could hear a voice calling out, "Lady Kagome. Lady Kagome,", but she wasn't there. She was at the light and, stepping out of the water, she crossed into it.

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Okay, you loveable readers! That's it for right now :)

Please let me know what y'all thought, and I'll see y'all again in a few weeks!


	24. Chapter 23: Within the Depths

Hello everybody!

Finals are coming up so wish me luck!

Anyway, here's the next installment! Thanks so much for your patience and love! Ya'll are the best!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 23: Within the Depths

She was falling, deeper and deeper into an endless blackness, but she wasn't afraid. Her fall was graceful, as though she were a light feather, and her only real concern was how long she would fall. There seemed to be no end, and her patience had whittled to a point that Kagome puffed up at her bangs from boredom.

"Hello!" she called out again, "is there anyone at all? I'm getting tired of hearing my own voice here!"

Much like the other times, the only response was the echo of her own voice. Kagome crossed her arms and legs in a pout as she drifted downwards, waiting for the end to arrive. Feeling a tad ridiculous, Kagome huffed again and was surprised to see something appear below her, seeming to float up to her though she were the one floating down towards it.

Round in shape, it was covered in leaves colored blue from a midnight tint. Surrounding it was a circular patch of grass slightly lighter in color, and it appeared as though a glowing, ice-blue light were reflecting off of the green blades.

"Huh? What is that? A tree?"

As she descended closer to it, she began to see something wrestling beneath the leaves. She could only see glimpses of it at a time; light blue scales; a reptilian spine; a smooth tail. It was something she recognized, but she couldn't place her finger on what it was. It wasn't until she was a few feet away from the top of the tree that she saw its face, with its long, sharp beak, iceberg colored eyes, jagged facial fins, and prickly spider-like appendages. A Shinidamachu; A soul collector. Kagome gasped in surprise, and as if angered by her presence, the soul collector sprang out of the tree top, like a snake striking at its prey, and wrapped itself around her leg.

"Agh! No! Let go of me," Kagome shouted as she could feel her leg becoming stiff, "Dammit, you sick, slimy, eel thing! I said back off!"

Roused by the commotion, another soul collector shot up from the tree and grabbed Kagome's other leg as the two began to slither up her body. Kagome tried to summon her power to her hands but felt no charge inside her. She squirmed with what little part of her could still move, but the soul collectors' continued to climb until she was as frozen as stone.

"Oh, ung. I can't… move my body," Kagome, unable to fight back, could only watch as the soul collectors' carried her down to the tree. The leaves and branches scratched at her skin as she was brought down to an area she recognized all too well. Four more soul collectors floated around her as the two that had caught her bound her to the tree. _No. Not this again._

Almost out of desperation, Kagome searched the area, looking in all directions for the two main characters of her nightmare. She looked to her left, and then to the right. Above her, and then in front of her. Beyond the small patch of grass that surrounded the tree, there was only darkness. There was no extension of the ground or hint of the sky; there was only nothingness. And beyond the point where she stood, there were only soul collectors. Neither Kikyo nor Inuyasha was here.

"I'm… I'm alone?" This spilled out of her almost like a cry, but rather than a cry of relief, it was a cry anguish. "You've got to be kidding me. I got all worked up, and over nothing. They're not even here."

She dropped her head down. Why did this make her feel worse? She hated this dream! Hated everything about it! She hated what she saw, what she heard, and in her most hurtful state, she hated the people who were in it. So why? It hurt her now to find herself alone.

"My, you are pathetic."

"Huh?" Kagome looked up, eyes wide and heart stammering. Beyond the grass and standing in the void in front of her, was Kikyo. Her hair and garb were pristine, and her gaze was intimidating as always, as though she were reading into the very fibers of Kagome's soul. "K-Kikyo? It's you."

"Is it? Or am I simply an illusion; a vague, fragmented dream version of myself, brought into existence to sooth your festering loneliness?"

"What are you talking about? Of course, it's you! We saw you with that woman!"

"Hm," Kikyo chuckled, "Simple child. You don't even recognize where you are."

"You know what?! I'm getting really tired of your superiority bullshit! If you think you know so much, then how about you just tell me!"

"It is as I said. I am but a single piece of the Kikyo that you've constructed for your dreams. I am no more of Kikyo than you are, brought here by your desperate and pathetic need to not be alone. A desperation which you are incapable of escaping even in your dreams."

"Arg! That's not true! Why don't you just shut up! Just looking at your face makes me sick!"

"If that were true, then why am I still here?"

"Apparently to just annoy me," Kagome mumbled under her breath. Her cheeks felt hot, and her heartbeat was irregularly fast. If she could move, she'd turn away from Kikyo before she could say any more. The sound of water dripping into a pond sounded out as Kikyo walked closer, her footsteps in the void having a rippling effect before she stepped onto the grass. "Eh? What is it now? What do you want?"

"I find your insecurities appalling," Kikyo said with a darkness in her eyes, "You are nothing as you once were. A poor imitation, at best. Would it not simply be better, for yourself and those around you, should your soul return to the true Kikyo?"

Kikyo stopped in front of Kagome and reached out her hand towards her chest, with an ominous glow extending beyond her fingertips.

"Hey! You keep that grabby hand off of me! I'm warning you!

"To be given to a true priestess, capable of doing what you seem unwilling to attempt? To one not so broken as you are? This," Kikyo's hand began to disappear into Kagome's chest, who squirmed from the strange and painful sensation, "would be the best course of them all."

"Ung. Ah! Stop it! I feel like… I'm gonna puke!"

"The pain will pass. Once I've harvested your soul."

"Err! I said... back… Off!" Kagome shouted just as she felt Kikyo's grasp onto her soul, and a bright light poured out of her. It shot out from where Kikyo's hand was embedded, striking Kikyo in a bright, hot fury, who shrieked and recoiled back.

Kagome collapsed to the floor. On hands and knees, she looked up. She was alone. No soul collectors. No Kikyo. No one. The void that had once surrounded the cramped area was now filled with what would be expected; green grass and trees reaching up towards the sky. Kagome glanced behind her and saw the tree of Inuyasha.

"Uh? What's going on?" She grunted as she stood, "I must have… fallen asleep."

Kagome looked around her, allowing her confusion to settle. _Weird dream,_ she thought to herself. Patting down her hakama, removing the dirt that had clung to her, Kagome peeked to either side of her. One way led to the well. The other to the village.

"Hmm… I guess I'll just head back to the village then. I wonder what happened to Miroku though." She pinched her chin as she walked back, contemplating the various gaps in memory that seemed to be plaguing her. "I went to Miroku. We started to train. I was meditating… hmm… I can't remember anything else."

Caws from fleeing birds sang out from above her. A heavy stench clung in the air, the smell of a thousand singed cigarette-butts left out to cook in the sun. The scent crawled up Kagome's nostrils and down into her lungs, forcing out a cough. " _Khoff, khoff!_ Ahk! What is that smell? It's like something got burnt to a crisp!"

She walked faster, holding the collar of her han-juban* to her mouth to help filter the air she inhaled. As she came closer to the village, the air became darker with smoke and heavier with heat. Kagome ran, and perhaps it was due to the unclean air or the constant running and fighting she had done these past few days, but she found herself utterly exhausted. She struggled to lift her feet off the ground as she ran, and struggled to find the energy to push herself forward and not simply fall against the supporting comfort of a tree. _Again? Is this seriously happening again? Can't we go one day! Just one day where we don't have to fight for our lives?_

Kagome managed to jog her way and emerged from the cover of the trees into the hot remains of the torched village. Fires and embers existed side by side, and the sight of those black mounds, small and large, and curled up like… like fetuses. Kagome flinched, shutting her eyes and covering her mouth with both hands. She could smell it so intensely now; that acrid scent that burned her nose. Greasy and coppery. Sulfuric, yet sweet. The smell of cooked meat, like pork or beef, yet distinctly human. The scent of humanity burned to a crisp.

She gagged. Her stomach contracted and she pressed her hands harder against her teeth-clenched mouth. Sputtered coughs escaped her lips, and her eyes became watery. She struggled to collect herself, telling herself to be strong and search for survivors, but she couldn't look, and her legs wouldn't move.

 _THWACK!_ An arrow struck a tree beside Kagome, startling her, and she jumped back. The arrow quickly became shaded and darker in color, and its firm shape became gaseous. Within seconds, the arrow that had lodged itself into the tree evaporated as though it was only a mirage.

Kagome looked at the owner and staggered into a stand. Any description besides a shadow of herself was lacking in the fright it instilled in her. Its shadowed eyes leered at her, with a bow in hand and arrow notched. Blood covered its green skirting, and its legs were colored red. And though it stood away from her, threatening her, Kagome could feel the warm wetness on her own skin.

"What… what are you? Are you the one who-"

"You did this."

"What?"

"You did this. You…" It tilted its head, so Kagome could not see its face; an expression akin to remorse. _Is… is it crying,_ Kagome wondered as its shoulders began to tremble before snapping its head back up to glare at her with renewed hatred, "You killed them all!"

The arrow shot through the air, surrounded by a bright pink light. Kagome leaped, with the arrow narrowingly missing her as it struck the earth, and expanded outward into an exploding barrier with strikes of purity bowing outwards. The impact threw Kagome, and she landed harshly into a violent roll.

 _What? What was that? Did that arrow have a barrier sutra on it? But how does it-_ Kagome was forced to leap again as another arrow made its way towards her, but she was faster this time, and though her feet threatened to catapult upwards from the vibrations, she managed to keep on the run. _This is ridiculous! What the hell am I supposed to do?!_

"I won't let you escape!"

As she ran, Kagome felt something wrap around her leg. She couldn't see what it was, for there was nothing visibly there, but she felt it. She felt the burning sting of its existence around her ankle and felt its strong pull that yanked her towards the ground. Her teeth mashed against each other from the impact, and when she placed her hands beneath her to stand back up, a heavy weight slammed against her back. Pulled and rolled over, Kagome was quick to lift up her arms and block the incoming arrow that came towards her face. She grappled with her shadow's wrists. The struggle was based on instinct, a series of immediate reactions to the shadow's movements. Her arms were burning and bloody when a stalemate was reached, and the arrow remained between them with its arrowhead lingering a few inches above Kagome's right eye.

Beyond the arrow, the shadows dismal face began to change. Dark brown eyes became glowing red. Pale skin turned charcoaled with red lines of cinder underneath. A snarled frown stretched out into a long, fang-toothed grin. And from its unmoving lips came a hoarse cackle.

"You're the one who killed them. You worthless, weak sham! All your promises to protect them, and you just let them die! It's your fault!"

"Ah! I don't know what you're talking about! Let me go!"

"It's your fault!" The shadow continued to change. The arrow evaporated from its hands with its soot-covered skin lined like burned bark with red and orange glow beneath. It shoved at Kagome, throwing her arms back, and captured her legs. Her skin cooked in the embrace, blistering from the heat that radiated from the shadow, and Kagome screamed. She clawed with her hands, trying to find a way to free herself, her fingers burning as she did so, but the shadow was stronger than her. The shadow pulled her, dragging her across the dirt, and when Kagome searched for something to grab on, she saw they were someplace entirely separate from the village; the well. How had they gotten there? What was happening?

Glancing back at the shadow that no longer had a body, but a long torso that stretched into the opening of the well, Kagome was lifted and pulled in.

Kagome shrieked a howl for help, and then grunted when she landed on the hard surface of the well floor.

"Ow." She whimpered as she examined the short space around her. She was alone. The shadow was gone and when she checked her legs, they were smooth and free from any burned markings, though she could still feel the heat beneath the skin. "Not even a scratch. Guess I don't have to worry about bruising either. Too bad my butt still kinda hurts from that landing. Still, I really wish someone could tell me what is going on…"

Kagome looked up, but the space above the well was dark. _I wonder what's going to happen now._ The thought alone made her shiver. Pulling her knees to her chest, Kagome briefly considered staying there inside the well. Maybe if she stayed there, she could avoid what was waiting for her. Whatever was happening to her, maybe it would end, and she would wake up back with Miroku, who would lightly disapprove of her dozing off. That is if this was a dream. But it all felt so real.

"What if it doesn't end? What if, the longer I stay here, the less likely I am to escape? But what's to say that whatever comes next won't also trap me here?" Again, she looked up. The darkness made her apprehensive, like a living, breathing mass that spied on her from above as though she were a mouse trapped in a maze. Only the voice of her younger brother purged the anxiety inside.

"Kay, I'm heading to school now. See you later!"

"Sota? Sota! Can you hear me?"

No response. He must have already left. Digging her hands into the well's stone wall, Kagome climbed and pulled herself over the well edge. Breathing heavily, she gave herself a moment to rest against the well. _What's going on with me? Why am I so tired?_ A climb that she normally could do without much effort had now made her whole body feel sore. It was as if her very muscles were protesting against any more movement.

"Nope. Can't do that. I gotta…" She groaned as she stood, "Keep moving. I can't just wait for someone to rescue me. Not this time."

She slid the door open, expelling the darkness and allowing the light from outside to pour in. It was exactly how she remembered it. She was here. She was home. Stepping out into the courtyard, Kagome twirled around in a circle, drawing it all in. It had been so long since she had been home. But just as all the other times where she found herself someplace new in this strange meshing of realities, the tranquility didn't last.

 _Crash!_ The sound of items falling onto each other caught Kagome's attention, followed by a terrified scream. She forced her cement heavy legs to move, and as she turned the corner of her home, she saw the shed on fire.

"Oh no! What's happened?!" Kagome ran towards the opening of the shed. A single thought intruded her mind, with no reason for existence for its pleading call, and it echoed out _grandpa_ , as though she already knew. The rampant fire doubled in size, pouring out of the entrance with a roar, and Kagome shuffled backward with her arms guarding her face. She looked into the flames and could see nothing beyond the red and orange glow. It was consuming the shed, and it appeared as though it would never end.

"Kagome!" A familiar voice called out from temple steps. Her mother, frantic and fearful, ran to Kagome, and after a brief hug, clasped onto Kagome's shoulders to speak to her directly. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yes, yes, Mom. I'm fine."

"Oh, thank goodness. Listen to me Kagome, it's your grandfather. He's being sent to the hospital."

"The hospital?But why?"

"He was in the fire."

"The fire…" Kagome looked back to the shed and was surprised. Disbelief and confusion grappled onto her tightly, for the fire was out. It's hot, engulfing existence had disappeared. It had ended, and she hadn't noticed. The shed stood, partially charred. Was that all the fire had managed to do?

"Kagome, he needs the sutras!"

"The- what sutras mom?"

"The ones he had on his face! I'm going to get his other things from the house, but I need you to get the sutras. Can you do that?"

"Uh- sure. Yes!"

Again, her mom gave her a short hug, before running off towards the house. Kagome looked towards the shed again. The sutras would be in there; the ones he had on his face. _Is it… the noh mask? Is it back? Or am I reliving the past?_

Kagome hurried inside. Burned relics laid about all around her. A heavy wooden beam blocked the center inside, and all along the floor was the singed remains of the caved in roof. Kagome pushed various items aside, lifting random relics, and kicking away pieces of the roof. Anything at all, in hopes of finding the sutras. She began to dig at a pile of shingles, and as she did so, she saw them. _The sutras!_ On the floor, beyond the beam, she could see them peeking out from underneath a pile of debris.

She tried to shimmy beneath the beam, but there were so many random items in the way that she couldn't make it pass. She attempted to climb over it, but the moment she did, more of the roof fell down, nearly landing on her. In the end, she decided to see if she could merely grab it by reaching her arm across below the beam.

Kagome reached, her cheek pressed against the still warm wood beam. Her body rested against the pile that blocked her way, and when her fingers weren't quite long enough to reach the sutras, she attempted to shimmy further into the space between the pile and the beam. The beam rumbled threateningly, as though it would fall on her, but she persisted. Her fingers flicked the edge of the sutras, a few centimeters off from being able to pinch and pull them out.

"Just… a little more…" The beam shifted, edging downward by a hair, but Kagome could feel its weight on her. Her fingers danced, racing to gain a grasp on the sutras as Kagome stretched her arm out farther. Another centimeter. A sliver more.

The edge of the sutras slipped in between her fingers, wedged between the tip of her nail and the bottom of her middle finger. She pulled, then grabbed, then pulled more, getting all the sutras she could get, before hurriedly pulling her arm back. The beam fell, and ash puffed up around it. A narrow escape, but Kagome was safe and unharmed, and in her hand were the crumbled sutras.

"I did it. I… what?" Kagome straightened the sheets of paper and rifled through each one. None of them, not a single one, had any markings. They were all blank. "But, I don't understand. I could have sworn-"

"Kagome!" her mom rushed in then, with a heavy suitcase in her hand, "did you get them? Did you get the sutras?"

"Mom, I… I tried, but…" Kagome handed the sutras to her mother, who seemed to shake her head from panic more than anything else.

"No, no, no. Kagome, what happened? There's nothing written on them!"

"I don't know," Kagome took back the sutras and ruffled through them again, her full attention given to them, "I don't know what happened. I thought they had writing on them but I-I-"

"You don't remember, Lady Kagome?" A familiar male voiced asked, replacing that of her mother, and when she returned her gaze, her mom was not the one there.

"M-Miroku?"

"You don't remember what they looked like? What they had written on them?"

"I… no, I don't- where is my mom?"

"You're mom?"

"Yes! She was right here!"

"You are mistaken, Lady Kagome. I've been here the whole time."

"What, no…?" _What's going on? My mom was here. Wasn't she?_ Kagome was doubting herself. So little made sense after she drifted into that bright pink light. Too many things were meshing together, and there were so many inconsistencies. Like a dream, only not.

The haze of it all resembled a dream; the strange way in which things made sense and yet made no sense at all. But there was a disconnection, as though she were transferring through realms that were only loosely connected but lacked any foundations of reality. When she stood to step away from Miroku, a reaction to the dim clarity to the strangeness that surrounded her, she felt a sharp pull at chest; a hook on a line attached to her heart.

"Lady Kagome, where are you going? Are you alright?"

"I…" she gasped, covering her mouth as she witnessed a slew of black slimes emerge from beneath Miroku's monk robes and onto his exposed left sandal, covering his toes and wiggling with delight as they sucked at his blood. "No- I mean yes. Yes! I'm fine! I just… I have to go."

She turned, skittering away like a startled cat, only to find herself trapped by a dog clothed in red blocking the exit.

"Inuyash- Ah!" Her arm stung as he yanked at her hand. A familiar burn crept up to her elbow. The ants nibbled at her, trailing up by her nerves, biting along the way. "Inuyasha, let go! You're hurting me!"

"You're pathetic Kagome. Even when we need you, all you do is get in the way." Jagged marks began to appear on his face. His canines grew, and his eyes became red. "And your holier-than-thou act? Keh. You're no better than me. Hypocrite. I should get rid of you, get Kikyo on my own. Maybe then, I could be happy."

"Inuyasha, I mean it! Let go!" Kagome tried to pry his hand off, but her fingers continued to slip. Raising his other hand, preparing to strike, Kagome continued to pull and ducked her head. It wouldn't have done anything. Inuyasha would have still hit her, and she, most likely, would have blacked out. But she saw what was behind him.

The small demons stalked their prey, crawling and hopping from side to side, licking their lips and jabbing their tiny weapons towards her. Towering over the many, small hell demons, was a large beast of a Demon. With glowing red eyes and a grin unable to contain its sharp, jagged teeth, the massive, muscular demon groaned out in delight as it pulled on the chains in its three-clawed hand. The chains rattled, and as they moved, Kagome felt that pull in her chest again.

Her eyes followed the chains, the rusty links of metals that dragged on the floor, snaking towards her feet and attaching to her body. It wrapped around her legs and arms and crossed across her chest to plunge into the place where her heart resided. Each rattle of the chains was felt within her, inside the subtle pink and purple glow that radiated from where the chains latched onto her soul by a series of hooks. Each pull from the demon forced out more of her light, and the more of it that escaped her body, the more a sluggish, aching exhaustion took hold of her limbs.

 _Ung… no… it… it feels like it's killing me. Like it's dragging me to hell._ In her eyes, the demons appeared to be hell demons, spawning from a black void with hells light glowing from behind the chain-wielding demon. So when Inuyasha's hand came down towards her, eager to spill her blood and allow the demon to pull her closer to her demise, Kagome grabbed onto the chain with her free hand and lifted it into the path of Inuyasha's attack.

The chain split and disintegrated into nothingness. The demons hazed out of existence. Inuyasha was left frozen, a violent statue with an incomplete attack.

"Phew. That was too close for comfort." Kagome huffed, and then, to her surprise, there was the sound of a droplet. At her feet, the ground began to morph, shifting in ripples that extended from her feet, and the hand that still held her also became like liquid, allowing her to free herself as ripples from her movement trailed up Inuyasha's arm and across his body.

Her weight proved to be too much for the unstable floor, and as the solidity of the ground was lost, Kagome fell through, slowly at first, and then all at once. She fell through the floor like one falls into the pool, crashing through the surface to submerge themselves into a completely new world. But Kagome's new world was not filled with the coolness of water with beautiful cascades of light across the ground.

The world she entered into was cold and damp. Little light existed in this small, circular room, with air so stiff it was barely breathable. The walls and floors were made of stone. A single, shabby table close to breaking was at the room's center and behind it were pillows half eaten away by moths and covered in mold. Dark stains covered the pillows, but with the dim lighting that came only from the outline of a door, Kagome couldn't tell what the stains were from.

"Ahk!" Kagome yelped as something among the pillows moved, "Oh man, don't tell me there are rats in here!"

"Kah-un-gah," a voice gurgled out. Kagome found the sound familiar, but because of its wet and constricted release, she couldn't quite tell from where she knew it from. A young woman emerged from the pillows, whose body suggested someone close to Kagome's age, but whose face shouted with the innocence of a child. She was beautiful. Her skin was ivory, and her hair was moon-white with a length that extended far past her height. Her eyes were magenta and large, with flecks of changing warm colors dotting the irises. Despite their wondrous beauty, however, the stranger's eyes were filled with confusion and a painful plea for help.

"Kah-unn," The young women attempted to speak again, but flinched from her efforts and clasped onto the collar that clung to her neck.

"H-hey. Hold on now. Here, let me see if I can help okay?" Kagome stepped lightly over the pillows, hopping from side to side more than walking. Whatever wet liquid stained the pillows had seeped into her socks, and as Kagome knelt before the young woman, she became acutely aware that the warm wet liquid was this woman's blood.

It dripped down her neck and colored the sand colored Kimono the young woman wore, covering the chest area fully and spreading down towards the abdomen. So much blood. It baffled Kagome just how much this woman had lost, and yet to find her still conscious. Gently and with great caution, Kagome moved the young woman's hand away from the collar she adorned that unquestionably hid the wound that her blood had been spilling from.

Uncertainty was the beast that hid in the unknown and made Kagome hesitate and tremble. The amount of blood that she had seen made it entirely plausible that the collar was the only means of keeping the woman's head on her shoulders. It was not illogical for Kagome to assume that should she remove the collar, it would equate to a head in her lap and the passing of a life. So she flinched when her finger grazed the collar's edge.

And yet the woman grabbed Kagome's hands. With tears streaming down the woman's face, Kagome assumed that she was asking for the collar to be removed, but was wrong. _Kagome,_ the lost familiar voice called out inside her mind. She jerked away, fell backward, and scrambled against the pillows to stay upright. She hadn't been expecting to hear the voice, not now anyway. Kagome waited, expecting to hear more, but there was only silence.

The young woman reached out to Kagome again, who was in a bit of daze brought on by confusion, and when her fingers touched Kagome's knee, the voice returned.

 _Kagome, don't be frightened. It's me._ Kagome responded with a curt tilt of her head, much like a dog hearing a command for the first time. There was more than just the connection to the voice and this woman being made; there was the wonder as to who this woman was; the relief that the voice was real and came from an actual being; the doubt that any of this was real because how much of anything else she had experienced was real? There were miles and miles that Kagome's mind could have run to, but when the woman extended her hand, palm up, Kagome rested the hysteria of her mind and accepted the woman's hand.

"Who are you?"

 _My name is Amellis, and I've been the one speaking to you the past few days._

"I don't understand," Kagome shook her head lightly. There were so many questions, and she didn't know where to start, or whether she should.

 _Kagome, I must ask. How did you get here?_

"Oh, well… I was meditating, and then… I don't know. There was this light, kind of."

 _You're saying you were able to transcend your spirit on your own?_

"Transcend my… what are you talking about?"

 _Kagome, you do know you're not physically here, don't you? You right now,_ Amellis covered Kagome's hand with both of hers, _are only a spirit._

"What…?" Kagome looked down at their conjoined hands, and why she hadn't noticed before the transparent nature of her skin or the light pink and purple glow that exuded from her was beyond her understanding, "N-no. That's not right."

 _It is. You've dislodged your spirit and found your way here. It's… it's incomprehensible. I cannot word the extent of my shock and surprise. You've done something that priests and priestess struggle years to attain and fail, without a sense of what you were doing. How did you even survive? Did you not find yourself at the border of Meido*? Didn't the Daraku-Shinigami, Ribaiasan*, see you? How did you manage to get here without having to go through that?_

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying, that everything I saw, with Kikyo, that shadowy me, and whatever the heck was going on at my house, that was the border to hell?"

Amellis blinked. Her eyes darted from side to center to side as if she were watching her train of thought gathering all the information. _So… You did? You went to the border of meido?_

"And that demon thing, the one with the chain to my chest! Are you saying that was a Shinigami? A death god?!"

 _I-yes, it- Kagome, how? If everything your saying is true then, how? How did you escape him?_

"I had that Inuyasha who wasn't Inuyasha break the chain- You're saying I almost died?! Tell me you're kidding! This whole time I thought I was just going through some abnormally messed up dream! If I had known this was going to happen, I never would have stepped through that light!"

 _Hush Kagome, not so loud. We are not alone here._

"Well I'm sorry," Kagome whispered while still maintaining the ferocity yelling, "I'm still trying to get over the fact that I ALMOST DIED! Please excuse me if I'm a little freaked right now!"

Amellis's shoulders shook, as though she were beginning to laugh, but recoiled immediately and clasped onto the collar. Another trail of blood began to slip down her throat, and Kagome witnessed her struggling to swallow.

"Hey, hey. Hold on. Let me try to get that thing off again."

 _No,_ Amellis stopped her, _you can't. There are only two people who can remove it, and they are more than delighted to leave me like this._

"Is this the reason why I couldn't hear you after I caught up with Sesshomaru?"

 _Initially, no. It's not wise for me to speak with you when my mother is around, and she had returned. That was why I had to stop speaking with you. This collar, however, constricts the range of power, which is why I haven't been able to speak with you since. The only reason why I don't live with it on constantly is because my powers are of use to my mother, and the longer I have the collar on, the longer it takes for me to regain my full strength._

"You're mom did this to you?"

 _Yes._

"That's… that's just so wrong. What kind of mother would do this to her own child? It's sick."

 _I am not her child in her eyes. I am only a slave. A tool. A pet. And currently, she suspects me of betraying her. After she saw how you saved Rin, she determined you had to have outside help. She may not know the full extent of my powers, or perhaps she does. Either way, she assumes I had something to do with it._

"But you couldn't even talk to me then."

 _I know. As it turned out, you managed to save Rin on your own. A feat that, I am ashamed to admit, I doubted you could achieve even with my help. No matter what has happened to me, I am awestruck by your capabilities, Kagome. Even more so for surviving against Ribaiasan. You've given me hope that we could win._

"Win?"

 _Yes. Against my mother. I was doubtful before, but now I almost believe we can. Tell me, how far have you and your friends traveled since saving Rin?_

"Travelled? What do you mean traveled?"

 _You haven't left the village?!_

"No… Rin still won't wake up. And Inuyasha is still missing. We can't just leave-"

 _You must! Don't you understand? The longer you stay there, the more in danger you and the villagers are in! Rin will wake, and Inuyasha will find his way, but if you don't leave, she'll only continue to attack and it will only get worse! Her power is not unlimited, but staying in one spot is the surest way to receive the brunt of her attacks. If you move, it will be harder for her to organize her power in such terrifying ways, and I have no doubt that she will ease the frequencies of her attacks. She wants you to move, to play her game to try to find her and Kikyo, and while I don't like you doing as she wants, it's the best way to ensure your survival._

"But-" the loud creaking of a door far beyond the one to their room silenced her. Amellis's grip became tourniquet tight, and as her body shook with terror, the fear began to seep into Kagome as well. She felt cold as if an icy evil had enveloped her, and her mind quickly raced to defense.

 _Kagome, no,_ Amellis protested as Kagome shifted her body so that it guarded the majority of Amellis, and her low squat left her prepared for a lunge. _You have to leave. Now. Before you're found out._

"But-"

 _Now, Kagome. This is far beyond you. You need to leave here, and you need to leave the village!_

"I'm not leaving you here like this!"

 _You have no choice! Do as I say!_

"I don't even know how to leave, let alone know where I'm supposed to go if I did leave. Besides, I don't care what you say or how dangerous whatever's coming is. I'm not leav- gah!"

She had been punched, and where Amellis's fist touched Kagome, there a came a light that glowed within her transparent skin. It swirled and danced, like a pink galaxy inside her. Kagome knew immediately that this wasn't Amellis's power, but her own. She recognized it as a mother recognizes her child, and she understood that Amellis had simply pushed a point that brought her power out of hiding.

 _Go to where the stone was born. That should be enough to lead the way. Now,_ the air around Kagome became thick, and the power that had been returned to her felt heavy, like a weight leading her away into a strong current. Her power was pulling her away from Amellis, and though her fingers clutched onto the hard ground, she was unable to anchor herself as Amellis commanded Kagome's power, _return to yourself._

Kagome gasped to life, inhaling a large gulp of air. It had taken a millisecond, or perhaps less, to find herself back at the well, but as short as it was, the journey imprinted itself into her mind. The darkness that had surrounded her when she was sent back seem to linger over her psychologically, despite her vibrant surroundings.

Her skin tingled with the pink and cream energy that swirled around her like electricity, covering her with small shocks that felt like little insect feet walking on her. Overgrown plants with blooming flowers clung onto her and each other in a three feet radius, and the sun shined on her with a comforting warmth. Yet Kagome remained unchanged by it all, feeling instead of the cold she had felt from the darkness; a cold that chilled her spine and licked at her paranoia. A cold chill like what is felt when a great evil has its eyes upon you.

"Kagome!" Shippo yelled as he jumped into her lap. His little hands clasped onto her tightly, and he borrowed his head into her abdomen with tears moistening her han-juban. It took a prolonged state of Kagome staring at the top of his furry, auburn head before she finally brought herself to ruffle his hair through slow, lack lustered circles. "I was so scared! I thought you were going to stay like that forever!"

"Stay like what?" Kagome mumbled. The bright glow that had surrounded her was gone now. It had begun to fade away the moment she opened her eyes, and when Shippo jumped into her lap, only a small residue of it still lingered in the air like pollen. As much as she could, she felt surprised to see that not only were Shippo, Miroku, and Sango there but so was Sesshomaru with Jaken and Ah-Un. "Oh. You're here, too."

"Eh, yes, Lady Kagome," Miroku began, "Lord Sesshomaru, he-"

"Good. That means I can tell you all now."

"Tell us what, Kagome?" Sango asked.

"We all need to leave. Now."

* * *

**Ha-juban: A priestess's outer "shirt"

**Meido: Japanese kind of "hell", separate from Jigoku (the actual hell were exceptionally bad people go) and Tengoku (heaven where exceptionally good people go), Meido is where those who fall in between are set through trials and tests to determine where they will be sentenced to. In my understanding, it has a lot of similarities to the idea of purgatory, while still have distinct differences.

**Daraku-Shinigami, Ribaiasan: Mixture of Japanese words, with Daraku meaning corruption, and Ribaisan (the name I've chosen for the Shinigami) meaning leviathan. For those who don't know, Shinigami is kinda like a Japanese grim reaper in that they make sure a person dies when it's their time and then escort them to whichever plane they are supposed to go to, only there are numerous Shinigami, contrary to the one grim reaper. Also, watch Death Note if you haven't already (the anime, not the Netflix movie thing). It's a wonderfully intense and psychologically thrilling show.

This didn't quite finish the way I wanted it to, but the more I practice, the better I'll get (hopefully). Anyway, stay tuned for the next update! I'll see ya'll soon! Bless!


	25. Chapter 24: Goodbye Dear Home

Hi everyone! Finals are over (thank God)!

Anyway, here is the long awaited update, I hope y'all enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 24: Goodbye Dear Home

He dragged his paws across the ash-covered dirt, the fur on his feet being colored black and grey. In his hands were wrapped bundles of herbs and food given to him by Tanaka, the quantity of which could barely be deemed serviceable for even a single person's meal. And this was supposed to help sustain the group until they reached the next village. They would certainly be pressured to hunt down their own food until then, it seemed.

When he had stepped into the hut to retrieve the order that Sango had placed prior to Kagome's call for departure, he had been a witness to Lady Kaede's and Tanaka's attempt to wake Rin by dabbing her face with a wet rag while wafting the aroma of her favorite food cooking over a fire with a paper fan. She beheld no striking difference from the other times he had seen her asleep, but the uncertainty which clouded around her was almost palpable, and his worry had caused his tail to shake.

Her breathing had been steady, and at a particularly exciting moment, she had given a short smirk to swallow, catching everyone's hopeful breath, only to ease back into the stillness that haunted everyone so. In his naivety, Shippo had grabbed Rin's hand in an expectation that if he simply squeezed her hand hard enough she would wake with excitement and eagerness to play. He became crestfallen when his efforts were found in vain.

When he looked out across the village, an onlooker to the catastrophic aftermath, watching as the villagers lifted and disposed of burnt logs once used for huts and sweep at the ash covered dirt that spanned for acres, he wondered if their efforts were not in vain too. Naturally, he felt guilty for his sudden pessimism, but could not forsake the observable girth of the destruction left behind in comparison to the few who toiled. Why were they leaving, he wondered. Shippo held a heavyweight in his stomach that urged to ground him in this village until the destruction had been cleared with his help, but his friends were leaving and taking him with them.

He snuffled as he continued to walk back to the well, his nose still stuffy from his whimpers that continued to return to his desires. Setting the bundles down, he wiped his nose with his forearm, and then brushed his eyes and cheeks with his palms. They were puffy, his eyes, cheeks, and nose. Without a reflection, he knew they were tomato red, and would continue to be for some time. Thinking of his crying and how he must look brought more tears down his face, which he wiped at again angrily. When another set fell, he slumped backward to sit on the ground with his tail to prop him up.

 _It's not fair,_ he thought to himself. The village needed them, Rin needed them, and they were just going to leave? In his absence, the village had been brought to ruin, and though he was not so simple to believe that all would have been saved if he had been around, perhaps there could have been something. Maybe he could have saved a few huts or one of the missing villagers? Maybe he could have protected Rin?

It seemed foolish to leave again. _Terrifying,_ he corrected. The idea of leaving again seemed terrifying. What would happen when they were all absent? In the midst of his weeping, he heard the voice of Kagome, bitter and angry as she was, only a short stone's throw away. Collecting the bundles, he followed her voice, halting behind a tree to stay out of view as he listened in on her and Miroku's argument.

"So Y'all were already planning on leaving? With him? And you didn't tell me?"

"It's not as though we were going to leave you behind, Lady Kagome."

"Then why not tell me?"

Miroku sighed. He was sitting on a tree trunk fallen on its side while Kagome stood, her hands balled into fists and placed on her hip. "There is much Lord Sesshomaru must tell you-

"Oh bullshit, Miroku! I didn't have to hear from Sesshomaru that Y'all were planning on leaving! You could have told me that anytime!"

"Had I known that you were unaware I would have. We were under the assumption that Lord Sesshomaru had told you that at the very least."

"Well, he didn't! Now is there anything else you think I should know that he might not have told me?"

"No. That is all."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And what about the 'many things' Sesshomaru has to tell me?"

"Lady Kagome, I can't-

"Why not?!"

"It is not my place to discuss it. Why won't you speak with him?"

"Because I don't want to, alright?!"

"Well, I cannot tell you what it is you want to know."

Kagome huffed, and Shippo slunk back into the shadows. Trekking down the path he had wandered away from, Shippo held onto the bundles tightly, as though they would hug him in return. He hated seeing Kagome so unhappy. If he could, he would make it so she was always happy, for he loved seeing her cheerful smile. There was little in him that could bring his own lips to a smile, however, and even less that trusted he was capable of placing a smile on Kagome's face.

He bit his tongue. Such a shallow way of thinking would get him nowhere. Regardless of the impracticality, he vowed to try. When he had finished with what was needed of him, he would try to make Kagome smile.

The path curved and he followed, no longer brushing the ground with his steps. The bundles blocked his view, and they shifted in his grasp, threatening to fall and spill. He did not see when he had crossed into Lord Sesshomaru's path, struggling as he was.

"Ow!" Shippo exclaimed as he stumbled backward with the bundles bouncing out of his grasp. "Ah! Oh no! I've gotta pick them up… quick?"

He paused. On all fours with only a single bundle in his hand, Shippo stared. He stared at the black boots at first, and then at the white hakama, and then at the threatening armor until finally, he looked at the demon's face, who glared downward past his nose at Shippo; A lord's downcast sight with his head held high.

Almost in a panic, Shippo threw the single bundle down as he squirmed along the floor, gaining only a foot of distance before turning over onto his belly with his knees underneath him and throwing his head onto the floor repeatedly.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru! I didn't mean it, I swear!" Peeking up past his bangs, he watched as Lord Sesshomaru began to crouch down, and immediately shut his eyes as his body shivered.

He anticipated an attack, feared for it and his life with his mouth as dry as a dessert and a bladder full of the threat of bursting. Muscles tensing, he squeezed his hands full of dirt and pressed his shoulders to his ears, hearing the rattling of his quivering bones.

When he heard the shuffle of movement beside him, he opened one eye, just a slit, to see a thin, incomprehensible portion of an eyelash-veiled, white blur of an arm. He risked a wider view, attaining a more defined image which incorporated a bent knee and a constantly moving hand, neither of which showed hostility towards him. At last, his one eye was wide and fully open, with his other eye slowly following suit.

Lord Sesshomaru collected the bundles into the bend of his arm as he lifted the remaining bundles off the ground one by one. He paid Shippo no mind, gave no passing glance nor inclination of acknowledging the fox demon's presence until the last bundle was lifted and he spoke in a monotonous tone with a monotonous demeanor.

"You are timider than the priestess, Fox, " he peered at the bundles in his hold, inspecting them briefly before passing them off to Shippo, "This is all your village could provide? You're likely to starve with so little."

"We'll hunt, " Shippo took the bundles with slight hesitation.

"Such a responsibility will fall on my shoulders."

As he stood, a rounded out pebble with a pinkish glow fell out of his pocket. Shippo was quick to pick it up and felt the familiar warm glow from the stone in his hand. He recognized it as the warmth that came from Kagome's power, a peculiar and interesting thing to be coming from a stone. He passed it off to Lord Sesshomaru, standing up on his toes as to keep his eyes on the pebble until it was hidden away into Lord Sesshomaru's pocket.

"What's that pebble?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with."

"It felt like it had Kagome's power in it."

"Do you not have someplace to be, little fox?"

Shippo rolled back on his heels and took a few steps back. His lip urged for a pout but he withheld it as an awkward pass of silence occurred between the two, with the young demon staring up at the elder. Lord Sesshomaru was the first to walk away with no gesture of goodbye, but Shippo thought he heard the off-handed comment, "run along little fox."

He sighed in relief, the speed of his thumping heart slowing as his fear shriveled within him. An overcast lingered, however, a shadow over his tiny, easily frightened body at the prospect of traveling with the source of his fear, the powerful, easily tempered, quick to kill demon Lord Sesshomaru who's opinion would determine the shortness of one's own life. He gulped down a dry swallow.

Shippo walked at a faster pace, eager to extend the distance between him and Lord Sesshomaru. The meadow was empty, with only the well and the overgrowth that had surrounded Kagome around. Sango had already left, most likely to her home, where she would finish packing, for herself and her kids, until Kirara's return; that was the agreed upon time for them to leave.

He walked past the well, his stride gradually declining as he came onto the overgrowth. The tall grass and vines, the blooming flowers that had sprouted into full growth and now reached greedily towards the sun. He wanted to keep a distance. Not many hours had passed, with the totality measurable with one hand, but the situation seemed ageless and yet ancient.

When he looked at the overgrowth he could still see Kagome trapped inside the crystal hard barrier, unmoving and unresponsive; He could still recall the exact movements of Lord Sesshomaru as he rushed to the barrier, only to be thrown back by the barriers purity; He remembered Miroku, racing to get Sango when nothing he did or said changed anything; and he could still feel his fear.

Arriving at well, shortly after viewing the village's dilapidated state, he had been searching for explanation and comfort from Kagome. Distraught and confused, he had run, following Kagome's aura, something that, with his low skill, was difficult, to say the least, but the spike in Kagome's power was able to guide him. And when he jumped out of the bushes, running on all fours, he had been expecting to jump into Kagome's lap where he would find the solace that he needed, only to find Kagome locked away. He had called out her name alongside Miroku, but she did not move. When he attempted to get closer to the barrier, his fur stood on ends, and the skin prickled from the purity that blanketed the air. And he wondered, worried, and suspected that this would be how Kagome would remain, forever out of his reach and forever frozen beyond an impenetrable barrier. She would be lost, and he would lose her. It was a fear that had struck him so violently that he had felt ill, and it's residue still laced his uneasy stomach.

As he inched his way past the overgrowth, his mind's eye projecting the Image of Kagome within the barrier that was so thick and bright it resembled the Shikon jewel, he flinched, shut his eyes, and hurried in his pace. At last, he walked up to Sango's home, a marvelous structure that rivaled that of lowly Lords, and he tapped on the door three times. He waited. Again, he tapped on the door, shuffling a bit to get a better grasp of the bundles, and, again, he waited. He twirled his tail, leaned back on his heels, and tapped.

"Hey, Sango?" He called out, "Are you in there?"

He pressed his ear against the door, listening to the steady _thump, thump, thump_ of someone running up to answer. Shippo craned his head up, looking as best he could above the bundles, in preparation of greeting Sango. The door opened, and where he looked, he did not see Sango.

" _Sniff._ Hiya, Shippo."

"Oh, uh," He turned his head and shifted the bundles to one hip to look to the side, where Airi was rubbing her feet together. She kept her head down and clutched at her pink kimono where patches of snot covered her sleeves. "Hiya, Airi. Is everything alright? Is Sango home?"

"Mama's crying." She said as she swiped at her nose with her sleeve.

"Sango is crying? Is she okay? Is she hurt?"

Airi grabbed onto Shippo's wrist and began to pull him into the house. Despite his best efforts, the bundles from his hands as Airi pulled him along down the hallway and into the main bedroom.

Sango's back was to Shippo. Around her were three packs, one large and two small, filled with clothing, hygienics, sleeping material, and containers for food and water. A few more items littered the area, waiting to be placed into the appropriate packs. At the back of the room was a pile of crumpled up papers by a broom.

Sango's shoulders were shaking. Walking up towards her, whispering out her name, Sango turned to Shippo with a wet face and red eyes. Aimi held onto her mother tightly, and Airi rushed to Sango's lap to join her sister. In Sango's arms was Isas, whose scrunched face suggested that he had just finished crying, a situation Shippo was happy to miss.

"Shippo, you're here," Sango wiped her eyes, "Did you bring the food."

"Uh- yeah, I left them at the door. What's wrong, Sango? Did something happen?"

Sango shook her head. With gentle care, she rubbed Isas's cheek with her thumb as her two daughters looked up at her, almost as if watching to see if they should keep crying with her. Shippo could see she was trying to hold her tears back, but a single tear fell from her eyes, and Airi and Aimi immediately continued to cry.

Shippo placed a hand on Sango's arm and peered over to study Isas. From what he could see, Isas seemed as healthy as ever, minus the red tone of his skin. There was a sliver of worry within Shippo, who wondered if something had happened to the baby, but he couldn't determine what. As if sensing his apprehension, Sango answered without him needing to ask.

"Isas is fine. I just had a little breakdown, that's all."

"About what?"

She paused, pursed her lips, and shook her head. Shippo only sat beside her, waiting for an answer she wasn't sure she could give. So much anxiety and dread had burrowed their way into her, and she could find no reasons to refute them. Their source was so valid and unquestionable and knowing what dangers were to come made Sango almost hate those around her who were pushing her and her family to leave with them. How could she ever be okay with having her family in danger?

"They're coming with us. My children." Her eyes were filled with worry and love as she looked down at them, and they, in turn, looked up at her. Aimi's hand rose up and collected a tear that had stilled on Sango's cheek.

"Don't cry, mama."

"Yeah. Don't worry. We're strong."

"And you and daddy will take care of us."

This brought another fit of weeping to Sango, who covered her eyes with her hand and lightly sobbed out her suppressed anguish. Shippo did not know. He hadn't even thought of it. He guessed he just assumed that they would remain here, but now knowing that they would be traveling with them, across harsh roads where demons and bandits laid about, and against a monster who had destroyed his home; Shippo understood Sango's plight, and he too was gripped by despair.

~ • • ~

Kagome was upset. _That has to be it,_ She told herself, _That has to be why I don't have control over my power. I just need to calm...down…_ She took a deep inhale, which seemed to do the opposite of its intended purpose and instead fanned the flame of anger that swirled inside her.

"Dammit!"

"Lady Kagome, it's fine-"

"It is not fine! I'm supposed to be able to heal you and I can't because I can't control the outflow of my power! What part of that is fine?!"

"Do not worry so much. Just give it time. You should be happy to have your powers back."

"Lot of good it does me. I don't have my powers, and I'm useless. I get my powers back, and I'm still useless!"

Miroku sighed. "You are not useless. Perhaps your powers need to readjust."

"I guess."

Awkwardly rising to avoid placing pressure on his injured leg, Miroku stood and passed his hand through his hair. "Sango will be waiting. We still have to finish packing."

"Oh yeah. I kinda need to do that too. Haven't even started considering I had no idea."

"Kagome-"

"Don't even say it. I don't want to hear his name."

Miroku sighed again. He hesitated briefly, debating on whether or not to depart with parting words, but given her current demeanor and the approaching visitor, he thought better of it and left. It was an odd habit he had, one derived from distrust, that he would hold his breath when he walked past Lord Sesshomaru and subsequently wonder each time he did so if Lord Sesshomaru was aware of his lack of breathing. Regardless, he did not see himself shaking off this particular habit.

When Sesshomaru approached Kagome, she was startled and gave a little jump. His silver tongue wagged with delight, eager to give her a light chastisement, but as he was greeted by her ireful glare and dismissive back-turn, he swallowed his words and roused a bitterness that rivaled her own.

"I suspect you've been too busy playing to learn anything about the stone."

"Excuse me!" Kagome turned and jabbed her finger at his armor plated chest, "You don't know anything about what I've been doing, so how about you just mind your own business!"

"The stone is my business, priestess."

She scowled at him. One second. Two seconds. And she looked away, unable and unwilling to stare at him much longer. She might as well have pulled out his pride and slapped it silly; her ignorance of him scorned him so. A gentler man would have silenced himself, but Sesshomaru was not gentle and he was bristled with an impulsive spite.

"Useless as always." He spoke coldly. The words meant nothing to him, spoken out of an odd emotional compulsion as they were, but witnessing the quick jerk of Kagome's shoulders, her back hunching and a hand rising in defense, as though he had just struck her in the abdomen, he felt the rot of regret. He pressed his tongue against his fangs as the regret brought forth rage. Whether that rage was towards himself or the priestess he did not know, and as that rage scratched at his control, he could taste salty copper lace his mouth.

As she had done with him, so he did to her, and he pulled his gaze away from her with an aggressive jerk that implied the same ignorance she had graced him with. Even more so, he began to leave her, standing there alone with balled up fists and a hurtful glower, emotionally damaged and disdainful of him for reasons he did not know. A waste of time cried his cold logic, but a confused and turmoiled need to understand what he had done was the plea of his curiosity.

"The two-tails will arrive before the end of this day," he said stoically, so his words were neither cruel nor kind, "Should you require assistance packing, Jaken will help you."

It was enough to shake off a pound from his ton heavy guilt, but that pound allowed him to freely walk away without giving her another glance.

It was a different story for Kagome, who wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or yell, but eventually settled on being exhausted. Her whole body felt heavy, as though she had been pulled out from nearly drowning in the ocean. In her best efforts, she still felt invisible eyes on her, hungry and vile eyes staring at her as though she were a delicacy roasting on a fire. She felt them over her shoulder, by her ear, and a distance away all the same. And when she felt overcomed by a negative emotion, she thought she could hear a starving growl echoing behind her. She heard it now, _hiss-graaaa-hessss._

Useless was exactly what she was, and now she was plagued with insanity while being sane. Was something watching her? Aside from her paranoia, she couldn't _sense_ anyone's aura.

Kagome shook her head, but though she attempted to push aside her paranoiac thoughts, there was yet another that left her upset and saddened. At this moment, there was nothing she could say other than she hated Sesshomaru. Only on the receiving end of his moderate kindness, she had never been a true victim of his words until now. The vicious beast. Had she only known his true possibility for malice before. Always quick to the witty draw, she had never suspected, never fathomed, that there was a sleeping monster beneath that he held back. But when Sesshomaru wanted to hurt someone, truly hurt them, he knew just where to hit to make them crumble with words alone. _Useless as always._ She was.

Caught up in her depressive thoughts, Kagome absentmindedly had slipped her hand into her pocket and clasped the stone. She rubbed her thumb across the rigid carvings, felt the icy, smooth texture of the center stone, and again was at a loss as to what it was. No better off than she was before, she made her way to the village with the intentions of packing and stopping by to see Rin. Perhaps she would hold clue since she had barred markings similar to that of the stone.

* * *

That's it for right now! Favorite, Follow, and Review (they really help me out and I love seeing what y'all have to say) and I'll see y'all in a few weeks :))


	26. Chapter 25: Inuyasha! You're back!

Heyyyy everybody!

Sorry, this took so long. I wanted to get this out sooner but helping out with my sister's wedding took more of my time than I expected. ***TMI Alert AHEAD! If you don't want to hear it, please move to the next paragraph to avoid bodily function stuff. Still here? Okay! I stressed out so much that I didn't poop for four days! It hurt so badly and was not fun! I'm good now though, and the wedding went off with a hitch and I'm happy it's over cause that was STRESSFUL! Maybe now I can go back to trying to get myself into a scheduled routine :) ***TMI Alert OVER***

Anyway, I hope ya'll like this! I'll post up the next update a little sooner than usual to make up for the delay! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 25: Inuyasha! You're back!

His clothes were soaked dark red with the blood of demons. With only a few miles left to reach the village, Inuyasha was appalled to see so many demons close by. What the hell had happened to draw them so close? Perhaps even more troubling was the constant mention of the Shikon jewel among them. Regardless of how far he could stretch his imagination, he failed to conjure even one reason as to why they would be mentioning the jewel.

"Keh," he grunted, swiping his blade with a full stop to fling off the blood, "whatever. Just a little bit more, and I'll be home."

 _Then I can finally look for you, Kikyo._

~ • • ~

Packing was quicker than she had expected, and that was greatly attributed to the fact that she had never fully integrated into Kaede's home. All these months, her clothes and her items, every little thing she had brought from her time or had been gifted in this time, she kept in a neat little pile next to her yellow backpack that she never used anymore. Her sleeping mat she always rolled up when she woke and placed against the wall, out of the way and pulled out only when it was time to sleep. So when it came time to fill her backpack, she found the task completed in a matter of minutes.

Kagome untwined and re-twined her fingers, with a long, drawn-out breath that puffed her cheeks. Arching her back, she took another glance around Kaede and towards Rin. Tanaka was no longer there, off to clear out more rubble where a hut was to be rebuilt. Rin, unfortunately, was still not waking. _Coma,_ Kagome refused to say out loud, _Rin is in a coma._

Not as concerning but equally disheartening was the lack of evidence on Rin's skin. Whatever markings she had had before were gone, and her skin was as smooth as a peach. Kagome sighed and turned back to her bag. Kaede was sewing fabrics together. Feeling that her efforts to wake Rin were in vain but not wanting to leave the child, she stitched a blanket for a needy villager. It was something Kagome could not help with, her own stitching skills akin to that of an overworked and undereducated surgeon with large, incoherent loops designed for only the most gruesome of patches.

She rummaged through her bag, lifting things and then placing them back exactly where they had been. Anything to keep her hands busy. But when it all became too much, she threw her backpack upside down, spilled out all its contents, and gathered her bathing supplies. With a mess on the floor and a swift goodbye, Kagome ran out of the hut as quickly as she could.

Outside, she took a deep breath. There was so much pressure inside there. From what she couldn't pinpoint, but it had been squeezing her to the point of unease. A relaxing bath was something she needed to calm her high strung nerves and emotions; a saying she felt she had told herself before.

Taking her weapon that rested on the door frame outside, she hooked her bow across her shoulder and placed her arrows and quiver on her back. Danger was imminent. She didn't know where it would come from or when, but she would not be caught off guard again. Protected, she made her way down the river, past Tanaka and his helpers, through a short distance within the thickets, and out onto a bank at the base of a waterfall.

The water here was clear, odd considering the sewage tone the water had upriver. Even stranger was how whatever pollutant there was lingered at that one spot in the river as if it were seeping from the ground beneath and anchored there. _Don't think about that now, girl. You're here to relax._

Kagome's clothes fell to the floor. Upon her body, they had felt as heavy as weights, but they slipped off of her as delicately as a feather; a priestess' burden exemplified by her garb. She did not care to neatly fold them this time.

When her toes dipped into the water, her body shivered with delight. It was cold, yes, but it had been so long since she allowed herself to soak uninterrupted or rushed by the call of the village. _Not this time,_ she told herself. An anticipation and a thirsty desire had pushed themselves to the skin of her teeth. She could not let this chance go.

With precious seconds fleeting, she plunged herself into the water. The cold temperature wrapped itself around her in a comforting embrace, and for the first time that day she felt she could breathe. She dove so deep that the light from above began to fade and a blue darkness took its place until she reached the ground and placed her feet into the dirt. Pushing with her legs, she propelled herself upward and broke through the water's surface. She took a deep breath, eyes shut and body bobbing with the water's rocking. The waterfall was a loud, white noise lulling her to rest as she floated towards the bank, with smooth rocks rubbing against her back as she neared the water's end. She looked to her right, where her clothes and bathing items laid a few feet away.

 _Might as well be a mile,_ she thought as she contemplated whether to retrieve her items or to continue to enjoy the gentle current that massaged her. If only she had landed closer, she wouldn't have to rise. Responding to her desire but acting without her direction, her power surged to her right hand and caused a spark at her fingertips that shocked her.

"Ah! Dammit, that hurt," she sucked on her index finger in an attempt to alleviate the light burn. Kagome continued to grumble as she stood, the water droplets dripping off her goose-bumped skin as she retrieved her items.

At waist-deep water, she took the shampoo in her hands and massaged it into her hair. She thought of her depleting resources, and the nearly empty bottles of shampoo and conditioner waiting to be filled with less effective, self-made concoctions that would eventually brittle her hair. _I'll have to keep it in a braid I guess,_ she concluded as she undid her tangles.

The roar of the waterfall was too loud. The cry of her thoughts, deafening. She did not hear the rustles in the tree, nor the snarl of the approaching demons. She was only aware of the tranquil sounds.

The trees snapped apart in an explosion, the first to arrive splitting wood and carving the ground with its large claws; a bear demon the size of an oak with crazed eyes and mangy fur. Its ferocious stride was unhindered as it ran into the water, creating waves with each pounding step.

A scream stayed lodged in Kagome's throat; Her legs hesitated to run; her body quaked. Unable to direct her own limbs, Kagome fell backward. Water fell into her eyes and the drumming vibrations of the approaching monster rattled her limbs. It wasn't until a sharp pain erupted from her leg that her body finally jolted into action.

She didn't look at the demon, though she could feel its hot breath behind her, brushing the nape of her neck. She grabbed her weapon, notched the bow, and turned to release the arrow as the demon snarled, "the Shikon jewel! Give it to me! Give me the jewel!" The arrow landed into the demon's shoulder, but no purity expanded from it, and the demon did not slow.

"Dammit!" Kagome cursed as she dodged the demons attack, leaping out of the way and landing in a deeper part of the river. The current was strong and pulled her under. Beneath the water, she saw red mixing with blue before breaking through the surface and catching her ground.

Now there were three; a bear demon, a serpent demon, and an ogre demon. And they were all gunning for her.

Kagome notched another arrow, gave a quick prayer, hoped it would work, and released it. This time the arrow landed at the center of the ogre's face, and after a second of nothing happening, the arrow erupted with the full force of its purity. It was enough to kill the ogre and throw the other two off mid-run, but to Kagome's fright, more demons began to pour out of the trees.

With her fingers trembling, the next arrow fell out of her hands. In front of her was a wave of demons. Her power was on the frits; how would she defend herself? There were too many to shoot in such a small amount of time; too many chances for her arrows to fail. She pushed her power to her palms, but it stayed lodged beneath her skin. She couldn't summon a barrier.

Her options were expunged, her powers unreliable. Fear gripped her like an icy wave she could not think through. She was frozen, and death was nearing.

"Bakusaiga!"

A blinding green light pulsed out, more erratic than the other times she had witnessed it, but the comfort of reprieve was quick to swell in her. He did not glance towards her, taking the moment instead to look at his blade as the bloody shower fell. The limbs and organs of demons strewn around him, but he remained perfect upon the boulder. No speck of blood or piece of flesh marked him; Only his blade was colored. It wasn't until he cleaned his sword that he finally gave her his attention, prompting her to react to his presence with glee.

"Sesshomaru!" She shouted, running towards him.

"You forget your state, priestess." He remarked with blase'.

Confused, Kagome halted in her strides."What do you mean?"

"A set of clothes would do you justice."

"Eh?" Kagome peeked down, her breasts exposed to the air. Like the heat from a boiling pot, Kagome's body became hot, rising from her toes to her head, her whole body flushed, and she dunked herself into the water with a mousy squeak. An internal scream rang out in her head as she hugged herself. The water was ice to her now, soothing her burning embarrassment.

When she looked back at Sesshomaru, he was on the bank with a bloody white cloth in his hand. She flinched as he threw the rag towards her, though it landed in front of her and onto the river. With the current pushing it towards her, she grabbed the familiar cloth and lifted it.

"I suggest you put that back on, priestess."

It took her a moment to recognize it, it's usually pristine white fabric stained dark and covered with demon pieces, but when she did recognize it as the top of her priestess garb, disgust and shock smacked her so violently that she flung it out of her hands with a yelp.

"Are you insane?! There's no way I'm going to put that on!"

"You prefer to be exposed?"

"No! But I'm also not gonna put on a gut covered shirt!"

Sesshomaru groaned. It was an understatement to say that he was still annoyed with her. Yet he had smelled the blood in the air, and he had rushed here without delay. Where was Jaken? Surely the little imp had followed him.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" the familiar squeaky voice called out from on top the waterfall. _Right on time_. "Where did you go, my Lo- Oh! There you are, Lord Sesshomaru! You ran off so quickly, I was sure to have lost you-

"Jaken."

"Er- yes, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Return to the village and retrieve the priestess's clothes."

"Return to that human village for that girl? But why?"

A quick shift of Sesshomaru's eyes filled with the threat of pain was given in his wordless response. It was enough to make his minion squirm with terror.

"Ah- I mean- Right away, my Lord!" As quickly as he had arrived, the little imp left, though his leaving was skittish, to say the least. Upon Ah-Un's back, he wouldn't take long.

"Satisfied?"

"A little… I guess." Kagome shrugged while still hiding most of her body in the water.

Sesshomaru gave a quick "Hn," before turning his back on her and walking towards the path.

"Hey! You're not gonna leave me here, are you?!"

"Jaken will return shortly."

"Yeah, but what if more demons show up? You can't just take off when I can't defend myself right now!"

Her powers were lacking. For her to not sense the cowering demons that still lingered nearby proved it. Or perhaps he was giving her too much credit, and she simply hadn't tried to notice them yet. It was difficult to tell with her. Either way, he did have to protect her, and that did not speak volumes to her current capabilities.

"Very well," He relented and walked back to Kagome who sighed in relief. Again, his silver tongue wagged with a sly remark for her given situation, and since she was much calmer this time, he viewed it as an opportunity; And he was never the kind to pass up a favorable opportunity. "You are aware that the water is clear, aren't you priestess?"

"Yes-eh- wait!... What do you mean by that?"

"You are not hiding much from my eyes." He gave a small, unnoticeable smirk as he allowed his eyes to drop for a short second before refocusing on her face. Yes, with his demon eyes he could see clearly what the current would otherwise distort; a fact he was certain she was unaware of until now.

"Ah! You pervert!" Kagome grabbed a rock by her foot and threw it towards his head, which he dodged swiftly with a slight tilt. Undeterred, she reached for another rock and a grabbed an object that was hard yet smooth. A moss-covered stone, she assumed. But as she lifted her hand out of the water, she exposed the object to be a tentacle from one of the demons that had been slaughtered. Whatever life remained inside was reanimated as the tentacle wrapped itself around Kagome's wrist before she jerked it away with a loud yelp. Acutely aware of the amusement Sesshomaru was gaining watching her as she flailed around, she pointed at him as sternly as she could.

"Don't you laugh at me."

"I am not one for laughter, priestess."

"Bullshit! You were laughing in your head, I know it!"

"Do you now?"

"Yes. Now get me out of here!"

"Without Jaken I'm afraid you will fair no better outside of the water."

"Well I can't stay in here with all these demon parts and you being able to _see_ me! Figure something out!"

"Hn." He turned his back towards her and began to remove his armor. It was deja vu. She knew exactly what he was doing, for he had done it for her before; he was going to give her his hankimono to cover herself until a new set of clothing could be provided. Suddenly, she could feel the pounding rain on her skin; the harsh wind against her face; the awe for his protection as he shielded her from it; the unexpected warmth from his care.

"Priestess?"

Kagome looked up. He was there in the water, his hand outstretched towards her, holding his gift. Her mind was still walking out of her memory, and so she accepted his gift slowly and only whispered a thank you. With his back towards her as he walked towards the bank, she put on his hankimono just as she had done before. He rested against a boulder, as though he were waiting for her, and she made her way to join him. The water left her body as she left it, but her leg kept its wetness, and she felt an odd sensation, like that of multiple insect bites itching from her leg.

"You're bleeding."

"Huh? Oh…" a long stream of blood ran down her leg from gashes on her calf, each three inches long yet, luckily, not very deep. "So that's what it was."

"You do not seem to care."

"Guess I'm just getting used to it," she mumbled. In truth, her mind was too preoccupied to care. Her fists clenched and unclenched, and her teeth scraped against each other, all due to his presence. In his rescue and his kindness he had stirred in her the affection and desire that she had readily surrendered to when he had kissed her, and what followed was the secret she swore to know and the cruelty he had shown her. Anger. Hate. Adoration. They fought inside her, each vowing victory but failing to the other.

She sat with disdain, glanced over with fondness, turned away in pain, and looked back with guilty appreciation. Being mad when he had just helped her seemed idiotic, and with his han-juban parted open, exposing his sculpted chest and the top of his abs, Kagome's animosity quickly puddled under the weight of her awe. _Geez. He practically looks like a God! I wonder if he works out or if that's just how he looks naturally._

"Enjoying yourself, priestess?"

"Ah-eh- no, I mean, I have no idea what you're talking about… hehe." Kagome blushed, her eyes darting to and fro in any direction that wasn't towards him. Sesshomaru gave a short nod with a sound similar to Inuyasha's frequent 'keh'. A chuckle? No, Sesshomaru didn't chuckle. Curious, she chanced another glance at the possibility of catching the smirk that would have followed the laugh. She saw nothing, of course, but her disappointment was pacified when she glimpsed a scar on his arm.

Immediately, she was entranced, her interest piqued as she marveled at the only flaw on his body; a perfect line that wrapped around the top of his bicep; the place where his arm had been severed and where he regenerated it on his own. _Amazing._

She touched the scar with her fingertips, not viewing it as a part of Sesshomaru but as something foreign and separate. Despite its protrusion, it was smooth to the touch like velvet, and her surprise lead her to cover the scar with her hand, wrapping her fingers around Sesshomaru's bicep. A gasp escaped her as his clawed hand encased hers, removing her hand from him.

"You grow too familiar, priestess."

"Sorry. I was just thinking… maybe I could heal it."

"With the current state of your powers? You're likely to remove what I have only recently re-attained."

"I will not, you jerk!"

"However," he interrupted, reaching over to grab her knee above her wounds, "perhaps I can heal you."

Her breath faltered, not due to his words but the tenderness of his touch and the way he leaned over her, her body a shadow to his own. _Too familiar,_ her mind mimicked in resistance to the swoon that snaked up her spine, ever aware of the hate and sense of betrayal she carried for him that she struggled to maintain.

"No." She pushed him away.

"No?"

"I-uh… I can do it myself. I mean, I don't want to owe you any more than I already do."

"My healing of you does not have a price, priestess."

"-Kagome- and I appreciate that, really, but, umm, what I… what I really mean, I guess, is, uh…"

"Yes?"

"...well…" she paused, mouth agape as she retrieved a lie, "I just think it would do me some good for me to do it myself. Practice and all that."

"You are certain?"

"Yeah… of course."

He looked into her eyes, studying for a lie. If he found one, he did not show it and he removed his hold of her.

Kagome took a breath, expelling the air she had kept locked in her lungs, and a warmth flowed through her, which she deemed as a result from embarrassment but was, in reality, was a fluster from the attraction she had fought against. She cradled herself, wrapping her hands across her arms and holding her knees at the bend of her elbows, holding as much of herself as she could. Silence. Silence was the rasping grind of her tension grating against her esteem and comfort, shredding them so finely that they slipped through Kagome's grasp, and she gnawed on her lip like a manic crazed by her apparent lack of control.

He was looking at her. She could feel his gaze studying her, retrieving evidence from her demeanor to come to conclusions about her thought process. What did he think? What did he think of her? Did he see her as weak? Useless, as he had said before? She wanted to crawl away. To hide away from his piercing gaze to be swallowed by the shadows that could hush her insecurities; a different silence than the loud one she was in now.

"Priestess,"

"I told you it's Kagome," she snapped more viciously than she had intended.

Ignoring her statement, he steadily continued on as though she had not spoken at all. "Whatever is ailing you, I am willing to listen."

This took Kagome by surprise, and though it frustrated her that his attitude towards her had shifted so drastically in under an hour, she pondered on his offer. As daunting as she found the possible routes in which their conversation could follow, with the very real possibility of reaching the dreading _secret_ that she was certain would end with him casting her aside, she thought, perhaps, she was ready. How long could one go holding onto an affection that had nowhere to go? And this would provide her a chance to explain the hurt he had inflicted on her. He would be kind enough to care about that, wouldn't he? Maybe...

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha leapt out of the trees, a blurry figure of red and white. What had essentially been ages of him gone and out of her life left Kagome confused and perplexed for a moment as to who he was until the spark of her recognition of him ignited in her brain and a crescendo of memories overflowed her mind like a flood.

"Inuyash-," she began as he leapt over the river, but his sword was drawn and there was hate in his eyes. Before she could finish speaking his name, he interrupted her with a snarled shout.

"You get away from her you bastard!"

"Inuyasha wait-

"Kagome? You're bleeding! What the hell did you do to her, you icicle prick! I swear if you hurt her-

"Funny, coming from the one who broke her arm."

"Sesshomaru-"

"I'm gonna tear you to pieces, you smart ass-

"Inuyasha, SIT!"

"Agh!"

There was a fade; the whole situation blurred into itself and Kagome could not care. The scuffle; the fighting; the one word from her that would be heard; it was all so mundane. A trifle. As she looked down at Inuyasha, she felt her mask fall into place diligently, and with her emotions hidden behind it, there came an emptiness. _Inuyasha,_ she mentally sighed. She hadn't noticed that the emptiness inside her had been gone since he left her, but it ate her now. It was him that made her feel this way.

"Sit." She whispered again as he began to rise, the anger behind her mask compelling her to and roaring for more, but she did not abide.

"Oof! Eh! What… was that for?" Kagome huffed and walked over Inuyasha, careful to not step on him. "Hey! Where the hell are you going?!"

"Priestess?"

"I'm going to find Jaken," she responded to Sesshomaru monotonously, "he's taking too long to bring me my clothes."

Sesshomaru caught her by the arm, holding her close to him but not the point of discomfort.

"Let go of me," she said not looking at him. Behind her mask, she wanted to yank herself away from him and find solitude. The weight of the mask was so heavy from what she remembered, and whatever emotion was rising in her would soon cause it to crack.

"Jaken is nearly here."

 _Don't speak so sweetly to me,_ she ground her teeth to hold the words back, _I can't take it. Not now, and not when I know what you really think of me. I was a fool to think I could actually talk to you._

"Lord Sesshomaru! I have returned, my Lord," Jaken yipped as he and Ah-Un landed on top of Inuyasha, causing another grunt of pain, but neither reacted, "I am sorry I took so long, but that slayer can talk for ages!"

"Sango?" Kagome looked back, "Why was she talking to you?"

"The two tails has returned! Along with your clothes, the slayer instructed me to give you this," pulling it off of Ah-Un's back, and continuing to ignore the grumblings of an annoyed Inuyasha, Jaken presented Kagome with her yellow backpack filled to the brim with her items, "why you mortals insistence on taking so many items is beyond me! Eh-eh. What do you fill that thing with? Rocks!?"

"Thank you, Jaken." Kagome took her bag, relieving him of its heavy weight. With hooded eyes, she glanced towards Sesshomaru and muttered, "I guess this means we'll be going now?"

"Yes. Once you have changed, we will leave to the slayer's home village."

"...Okay." Kagome walked deeper into the woods where they could not see her. As she changed she allowed her mask to fall, and with it fell the last bit of tears she would be able to shed from now until the end of their journey. She wondered if they would survive it this time too.

~ • • ~

The cell was dark with a dim blue crystal acting as a light on the ceiling. There was no window, or bed, nor a place for her to relieve herself, but as she was a spirit without form, she supposed that was not something that she needed. Truth be told, she was happy to be on the cold damp floor. Suffering riddled her spirit form, the echoes of her afflictions still vibrating on and inside her, each one a different rumble of pain that never ended.

Some were deep and intrusive, with the splitting sensation of tearing flesh where demons had bitten her. Some were hot and blistering, with flakes of charred skin where the fire had touched her. Others were so deep inside her, they left her stomach in knots with a degradation that felt sickly.

The sight of their existence had disappeared, but she continued to feel them, over and over and over, like memories of physical form that repeated in a never ending cycle. She did not know how much more she could take before she broke. _Inuyasha, please,_ she whimpered as she curled up on the floor, _hurry, and save me._

"They won't come for you," a craggily voice breathed somewhere within the shadows of the cell.

"Who's there? Show yourself." Kikyo demanded as she sat upright.

"If only I could. Alas, I cannot move."

"You can speak but cannot move? Are you injured?"

"Not in the way a priestess can heal. Trust me, I would know."

"You are a priestess then?"

"Come see for yourself. I won't bite, even if I could."

Kikyo attempted to rise, but the echoes of pain at her legs shouted with anguish, and she collapsed.

"Legs are always the first to go. Best you crawl instead. It'll be easier."

Using her forearms, Kikyo pulled herself forward as her legs dragged behind. It was difficult, for her whole body trembled with pain, but she made her way towards the edge of the room where another spirit form laid. But the spirit form was different from her own.

The transparent woman laid there, her limbs broken from her body like cracked stone with long, jagged fissures extending from her fingertips to her shoulders. What glow Kikyo held was absent from the woman save her bright, honey eyes and honey freckles on her face. Even in the shadow of the cell, the dark, slithering cirri that streaked the woman's body stood out in their darkness.

"Quite a sight, aren't I?"

"What could have happened to you to cause you to be in such a state? Are you not a form of a spirit as I am?"

"I've been broken," the woman spoke with little movement of her mouth, "I was unable to withstand it all. Eventually, the same will happen to you if you keep fighting against her."

"Fight against her? That demon has tortured me for reasons that have been unexplained. How can you say I should not fight against her?"

"Should has got nothing to do with it. If you want to live, the only way is to surrender to her."

"No," Kikyo said as she rested herself against the wall beside the woman, "I will not give in so easily. I must withstand it until my chance for escape presents itself."

"Hehehe," the woman laughed dryly, "you are deaf. It's like I said before. They wont come for you. No one will rescue you."

"You don't know that."

"No? Then I guess I haven't been stuck for three years waiting for my friends and family to rescue me? Even after that long haired child told me they would?"

"You mean Amellis?"

"Ah. She told you the same thing too, didn't she? Bet she even sapped some of your power too. Funny how we both placed our trust into a girl who is the whole reason why we are here in the first place. How could we ever think that she would actually be on our side? Hm?"

The woman attempted a chuckle, but coughed instead. Kikyo remained in silence. That hope that she had clung onto so tightly was now threatening to fall out of her grasp. What if Inuyasha couldn't find her? What if he wasn't looking at all? Could his feelings towards her have changed so much?

Three years had passed without her in his life; Three years that he enjoyed with her reincarnation, his new love. Kikyo was not the kind to cry, so despite the anguish inside her, she would not shed a tear. Yet in that cold dark cell, the first place where she had been free from torture since she was brought back, Kikyo's soul darkened, and a single cirrus expanded from the pit of her stomach to her heart.

* * *

That's it! I hope ya'll liked it.

I will say that after I finish this, I plan on editing all of it (condensing certain scenes, eliminating others, and rewriting certain sections completely), but I want to get it done first, or else I'd never finish this haha.

Please favorite, follow and review (I love hearing what ya'll think)! I'll see ya'll soon!


	27. Chapter26:At Last, We Walk Towards Death

Hiya! How have Y'all been?

This chapter is a little longer than the others. As always I appreciate feedback, and again I will be trying to get the next update out a little sooner just cause I'm a little excited for the next update.

I hope y'all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 26: At Last, We Walk Towards Death

The verdant hillsides and the amber mosaic woods were casual thieves of their breath and awe, the vibrant beauty soiled only by the threat that laid beyond their journey's horizon and the thick tension in the air.

Miroku road on Kirara's back, her tongue dangling out of her mouth as her heavy feet pounded the ground with each step. The exhaustion of her non-stop round trip was evident on her face and body. The kids rode on her back as well, while Sango traveled beside her, scratching her ears and whispering words of encouragement. Inuyasha, grumbling along as he did, marched at the front as he had done many times before, with his arms crossed and hidden in the sleeves of his haori, and with his eyes shut and ears perked forward. The moment they began their walk was the last moment he physically showed them any attention, and Kagome was used to this. Had it just been the group as it was before, she wouldn't have questioned it.

Sesshomaru, along with Jaken, Ah-Un, and a sleeping Rin, traveled behind them and often time beside them. When Shippo became tired that his toes began to drag, it was Sesshomaru who commanded Ah-Un to lift and carry him on their back beside Rin. When Isas began to cry, it was Jaken who gave Sango some mashed up fruit to feed him under the guise of "quieting the brat's screeching". There were times where Kagome would look back, and Sesshomaru would be gone without her hearing or knowing where he had gone to.

"What on earth do you keep staring at me for?" Jaken had accused during one of the many times that Sesshomaru had gone.

"I'm not staring at you, you narcissist! I was wondering where Sesshomaru went."

"Hmph. That's _Lord_ Sesshomaru to you, and you can just mind your own business, human! We don't have to explain anything to you."

 _Why you little…_ Kagome didn't retaliate, though she did clench her jaw and continued to look back on occasions. Unlike the other times, Sesshomaru did not return and it made her wonder more where he had gone to even more.

"Kami, Kagome. Will you let it go? The prick is fine." Inuyasha barked a few yards ahead of them.

"So you know where he went?"

"No, and I don't wanna know. He could've run back home for all I care. We don't need him."

"Oh? And what? Are we supposed to rely on you?!"

Inuyasha turned on his heels, the first time he had looked at her since they left the village. "I knew it," he shouted with minor triumph, "you aren't fine! You got something to say to me! You've been holding back!"

"Of course I've been holding back! You left us, you ass! You expect me to just let that go-

"Enough!" Sango interrupted, startling them both, "This isn't the time for this. We need to keep moving. This can wait until we make camp."

"Whatever," Inuyasha grumbled after a silent pause and continued to walk at the front, while Kagome remained silent and gave Sango an apologetic smile which she, unfortunately, did not see.

Kagome sighed. This trip was dense with so emotional and physical strain that silence was ear-splitting. The gravel road was as bumpy as the eggshells she felt she had been stepping on among her relationships with her friends, and she could only blame herself.

It had taken some time, but once she saw Miroku again, with his wrapped ankle as he hopped onto Kirara's back just as they started to leave the village, she understood that she had treated him poorly. It was her own fault that she didn't know their plans because of her unwillingness to confront the issue with Sesshomaru; an issue that she still would prefer to ignore but doubted she'd get very far now that they were forced to travel with each other. She could only try to be as ready for it as she was at the waterfall when it was only the two of them. Perhaps it was a good thing Sesshomaru had left. At least she could ignore their strain a little easier now that he wasn't immediately nearby.

And poor Sango. Kagome knew and could see the heartbreak of bringing her children along in Sango's eyes. Why they had brought them or Rin was a question Kagome did not know the answer to and one that continued to perplex her. But it was a question she couldn't ask, not right now while Sango was still trying so hard to hide her distraught. _I'll just have to ask her later tonight, I guess._ Yet another talk that would need to take place when they made camp. Until then, they wouldn't stop. Not even for a break. The sooner they got to the slayer's village, the better. Then, hopefully, they could find out where the stone Kagome carried in her backpack came from.

Kagome looked up at the sun. With the cusp of fall now here, and any green vanished from trees that were not pine, the days would be shorter and the nights longer. Still, night could not come soon enough.

The sun had yet to reach the tip of the mountainous horizon when Kirara collapsed. Unable to walk any further, she sunk to her belly and refused to rise.

"Hey! What the hell is taking Y'all?! It's not even getting dark yet and you want to stop?"

"It's not their fault, Inuyasha," Shippo ran up to him before he could shout at the group even more, "it's Kirara. Something's happened to her, she won't get up."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Inuyasha and Shippo walked up to the huddled group that surrounded Kirara. Her breathing was heavy and she mewed quietly, as though she were whimpering, while frequently passing her tongue across her lips. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's just exhausted," Sango replied, "she's been traveling non-stop and has barely drunken any water. Inuyasha, we can't keep going."

"Yeah, no kidding. Um…" Inuyasha scanned the area before selecting a shaded area by a golden tree, "well make camp there, come on."

At Sango's command, Kirara reverted to her small kit form and was placed onto Sango's shoulder, where she slumped her head down and shut her eyes. With Isas in Sango's arms, she struggled to help Miroku until Kagome offered to help instead.

"Ah, thank you, Lady Kagome."

"No need for thanks. Let's just get you to the campsite, and we'll take a look at that injury of yours okay."

Shippo, along with the kids, cleaned up the area, removing stray sticks and rocks, while Inuyasha went to gather firewood. Jaken tied Ah-Un to the tree, and then also traveled off into the nearby woods without explanation. With Kagome seeing to Miroku, it was up to Sango to prep a meal that could feed the group while still having leftovers with what little they had.

It was Kagome's first time seeing the wound. The area was discolored and slightly swollen with the veins surrounding it the color of eggplants and the skin patched sickly yellow and plum. At the center, there was a dark abscess, like the boils Kagome had seen on the villagers.

"Miroku, how did you get this?"

"I am not sure. I assumed I received it during the fight against those strange tendrils."

"But this is the only one you have? It hasn't spread?"

"No," he shook his head, "as far as I can tell, it's different from the ones we saw on the villagers, not only in its behavior but in its coloring as well."

"Hmmm," Kagome inspected it more, pressing on it in certain areas as lightly as she could, and studying its reaction and color. Miroku was right, this one was different. Where the boils on the villagers were as large as fists and black as coal, pulsing with yoki energy, this one was the size of her thumb and much of its coloring came from what she assumed to be a pooling of blood. _Still bad news. That means he could get a clot. Can't cut it open, though. That'll likely make things worse, especially since I don't have the proper medicine or anything sterile to use. That also doesn't tell me the source of the issue. Different or not, I still think this has demon written all over it. Maybe…_ "I'm going to try to heal it with my powers."

"Do you think you can?"

"It's about the only option I can think of. Might as well give it a shot."

"Okay then." Miroku confidently nodded, a confidence that Kagome didn't think she deserved. She placed her hand on his leg, reached inside herself and beckoned her powers to come, pleading with them for their help. When nothing happened, she shut her eyes and tried again. Behind her eyelids, she thought she saw a flash of pink and felt a brief moment of her powers rising. _A little more. Please. A little more._

She twitched her nose when she thought she caught the scent of smoke, and her arm shivered when she thought she felt something crawl up her skin. Was it her powers perhaps? She thought maybe so until she heard it's voice as loud as thunder snarling in her ear. _SHE'S TRACKING YOU, PREY._

Kagome yelped and fell back. All at once she had felt its presence, that demon that had held a chain around her; the shinigami. But as she looked around, all she saw was the concerned faces of her friends surrounding her.

"Kagome, are you alright?"

"What happened, Lady Kagome?"

"Are you okay?"

"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted, bounding back to the group from the forest, a collection of firewood in his arms, "What the hell happened? Why'd you scream? Did something attack?"

"No, no. I'm fine," Kagome finally spoke after taking in a breath, "I just got spooked is all. Nothing happened."

"Well, what scared ya?"

"Nothing, I was just trying to summon my power and it didn't work."

"What do you mean it didn't work?!"

Kagome groaned. Of course, Inuyasha didn't know. How could he when he wasn't around? It was too much to explain, though, and she didn't feel like going through all the details now. "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. Everything is fine."

"Everything is not fine! You just screamed and your powers aren't working! Now tell me what's going on!"

"Not now, Inuyasha. Just leave it alone."

"Yes now, and-

"I said drop it!" Kagome snapped, which made Inuyasha flinch and lean back with his hands up in defense. When Kagome went back to seeing Miroku's wound and wrapping it with new bandages, Inuyasha relaxed.

"Keh. Fine, whatever, but you're me telling later."

 _Yeah, yeah. Whatever._ Kagome wrapped the gauze around Miroku's leg, grateful that they had been fortunate enough to still have some from their last journey against Naraku. Still, she was sad to see her friend this way while she was unable to help and ashamed that it took her so long to finally see to it.

"I'm sorry, Miroku."

"Hm? You do not need to apologize, Lady Kagome. You did what you could, and I am grateful."

"I've been a major pain, though. Blaming you for things you weren't responsible for, and not seeing to your injury sooner even though I knew you were hurt. I've been so selfish."

"We've all been stressed out lately. You're not the only one who's been acting differently because of it. We mustn't hold it over our heads. All we can do is try to be better." As he said this, he glanced over to Sango who was helping prep the fire.

"Something happened between you and Sango?"

Miroku shook his head. "We're both concerned for our children is all. The ferociousness of our determination to protect them was misdirected for a time, but we will be fine. And you, Lady Kagome? Will you be alright? I'm concerned about whatever startled you."

"I'll be fine," Kagome said while she shook her head, "I… uh… I thought I heard something, that's all."

"Heard something?"

"Yeah, but it was just my imagination. No need to worry." _I hope._

"You are sure?"

"Yeah, of course. In the meantime, keep trying to stay off of your leg and keep it elevated. I'll check on it again in the morning."

Miroku gave a quick "thank you" as Kagome moved on, feeling rather helpful despite her failure, and sat beside Rin. Ah-Un kept Rin at their side, her body curled up as she slept. In an almost motherly manner, Kagome brushed Rin's hair out of her face and placed the back of her hand against her forehead.

"No fever. Just sleeping sound I see." Kagome murmured as Rin continued to breathe steadily. It was odd to see the little girl like this, a perfect portrayal of blissful resting, yet knowing that no amount of shaking could draw the girl out of her slumber. Following her sigh there came a voice that had been absent for nearly the whole day, and was so stoic and calm it rode on the wind like its master.

"How is she?"

Kagome looked up. The sunlight touched his hair in waves of amber and gold, and it radiated off of him in a subtle glow. Or was that the side effect from her pining being fulfilled?

"She's still asleep."

"I see."

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled as he trotted to them, "Well look who finally showed up. What happened, icicle-prick? Too lazy to stick it out the whole journey? Or maybe you just ran away home, coward?"

"Sometimes I need only what you can provide, little brother."

"Huh?" Inuyasha tilted his head in contemplation, "And what's that?"

"Your absence."

There was stifled laughter from the group as Sesshomaru walked past Inuyasha as though he wasn't there, focusing instead on the approaching Jaken.

"You've returned, Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Jaken. I trust all is well."

"Yes, of course, my Lord. I have done as you've asked and helped this gaggle when I could. Just now I located a nearby spring and have brought water for the two-tails."

"Good."

Brief words of appreciation were given to Jaken as he gave Kirara some water, which he quickly silenced with a curt response, while Sesshomaru took a seat at the other side of Ah-Un from where Kagome sat. Grumbling and bitter, Inuyasha sat crisscrossed beside Kagome, which immediately set her on edge, as if she were a girl in a theater with either boy beside her offering her their hands. Ah-Un was her only saving grace, but this did not stop her attempting to occupy as little room as possible, with her knees pressed together and her fists pressed against her lap.

The small meal was the anticipation of the evening. A simple soup made with cabbage, daikon, bamboo shoots, and a pot full of water with light seasoning carried little hope for being filling or flavorful but pitted growls of empty stomachs had all the non-demons of the group salivating. Even the smallest demon eyed the boiling substance with hunger. It was mainly Sesshomaru's group who showed apathy to the meal, refusing a serving when Sango began to prep the bowls. As though wishing to be like them, Inuyasha turned away his plate too despite previously stating otherwise.

"That sounds good to me," Shippo said grinning with a bowl in his hand, "that means more for us! We might actually get full now."

Miroku agreed, and in response, Inuyasha's traitorous stomach gave out a low growl.

"Are you sure you don't want any, Inuyasha?"

"Hop off it, Sango, I already said I didn't want any of that hot water mess, okay." Again, his stomach growled, and coupled with his look of discomfort, Inuyasha's cheeks blushed.

"Put your pride aside and eat, Inuyasha. You're clearly hungry." Kagome remarked.

"And I said I ain't hungry, alright?" Another growl, and this time Inuyasha wrapped his arms around his abdomen as though to silence it. Kagome sighed.

"Your stomach seems to be saying otherwise."

"Tsk." Inuyasha hissed, but then he sniffed the air, "huh?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"Someone's coming."

"Heh, yeah right. You're just trying to change the subject."

"No, I'm serious. I…" he sniffed the air again, "eck. I know this scent."

There came a cloud of dirt trailing down the path that they had been traveling on before it broke off and began heading towards them. Following the cloud were two smaller sized puffs of dirt that seemed to be desperately trying to keep up.

"Stupid mangy wolf-cub," Inuyasha mumbled as the three pillars of smoke approached.

"Slow down, Koga!" A voice could be heard shouting in the distance.

"Yeah! You're going too fast!"

Inuyasha rose, a hand placed at the hilt of his tetsusaiga, and made his way to the edge of their camp. A few seconds later and the abnormally fast wolf demon arrived with his two comrades arriving a short while later, out of breath and collapsing to the floor.

"Hey, mutt-face. Long time no see." Koga grin superiorly, with fists at his hips at his nose pointed upwards so he appeared to be looking down at Inuyasha.

"Koga, you flea-bitten wolf. What the hell do you think you're doing here? Don't tell me you're after Kagome again?"

"Nah, nothing like that. Still, it would've been nice to hear she was back. Instead, I had to find out down the vine from your older brother. What was the matter mutt-face? Afraid she'd leave you if I had come around?"

"Keh, as if she'd ever stoop so low as to go out with a mangy, dirty, not mention married, wolf. In fact, I think you're stench is making her ill. Maybe I should just blow you away with my tetsusaiga-

"Stand down, little brother. You're likely to start a war."

Inuyasha jerked back, surprised that Sesshomaru had entered into their squabble and that he was now walking towards them.

"The hell do you mean by war-

"I said to silence yourself," Sesshomaru commanded with ferocity in his tone; a threat hidden beneath his words. Inuyasha snarled, but he turned his back to them and flattened his ears.

"Lord Sesshomaru, we meet again."

"So it seems, wolf. What brings you this way?"

"Ha, you're more chatty since the last time we met, so I suspect you already know," the air went cold with their silence, each demon sizing up the other yet maintaining a thin veil of understanding. One false move and a slaughter would take place. Koga smirked. "Guess you haven't changed that much, huh? Ginta, what's holding you? I'd like to get back on the run as soon as possible. The smell of these dogs is giving me heartburn."

"Right! Sorry about that, Koga!" Ginta legs wobbled as he rose with a package in his hands. Given the staggering way he walked, it appeared to be heavy. When he reached Sesshomaru, Ginta grunted as he lifted the package up higher and then extended it out towards him. "Here you are! A gift from Lord Ethriel!"

"I requested no such thing."

"Yeah, well our _Lord_ insisted _,"_ Koga said in a sarcastic manner, "Something about 'brothers helping brothers even when they're not asked' or something like that." Again there was a cold silence, though this time it seemed to extend from Sesshomaru's irritation more than anything else.

"Listen, take it or not, I don't really care. I'm just following orders."

"Hn." Sesshomaru nearly sneered at the rambunctious cub, but instead called on his loyal servant, "Jaken."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Take the package so we can be done here."

"Of course, my lord!" Jaken ran up, eyeing the package as he did. It did not seem so heavy.

"Hey-hey now are you sure? This package is really heavy." Ginta warned the small imp who seemed about as strong as a newborn pup.

"Hmph, don't underestimate me, wolf! I'm much stronger than I appear! Now hand over that box!"

"Okay. If you say so." Ginta moved the boxed into Jaken's hands, who muttered that the box was rather light until Ginta let go of the box.

"Ah! Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!" Its full weight fell upon the imp who buckled underneath it until he fell and the box landed on top of him. Crushed beneath its weight, a wide-eyed Jaken gave out a pitiful breath that sounded like the last wheeze of a whoopee cushion.

"Hahaha. That's what he gets."

"Ginta did warn you."

"We're done here, wolf. You may leave."

"Actually," Koga countered as he swiftly sidestepped Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, "there is one more thing."

Before she could protest, he clasped Kagome's hands in his own. As awkward as it was, it was nice to see Koga hadn't changed much. His long, coal-black hair was still in a ponytail, and his lean, physical physique hadn't changed. His skin was a shade tanner, and his curaisse had an engraved white paw print with an iris flower beside it on the top right, but nothing else was different. His unchanging character was extremely more evident in his straightforward and direct demeanor as he held Kagome's hands tightly, shut his deep blue eyes, and spoke confidently and -a tad- loudly.

"I've missed you, Kagome."

 _Getting straight to the point I see,_ Kagome's eyebrow twitched. "Oh… that's sweet… I-uh- missed you too, Koga… I guess…"

"You don't have to say anymore. While it pains me that I didn't get to see you sooner, I know you would have seen me if you were given the choice-

"Uh, actually, Koga-

"I just want you to know that even though I belong to another, you will always be welcomed in my tribe if you ever decide to drop these dogs for better canines-

"That sweet, Koga. Thank-

"One more thing, Kagome," Koga opened his eyes, that steely determination she had once known fixated on her once again, "I want you to know that my vow to you hasn't changed!"

 _Oh boy. How did I not see this coming?_

"I swear to protect you with every fiber of my being! I'd give my life for yours in a heartbeat! Because even if things have changed, I want us to at least be friends…"

"Of course, Koga. I'd like that-

"Because in my heart, Kagome…"

 _Oh no. Please don't say it._

"You're still my woman."

 _And he said it._ Kagome feigned a laugh with an awkward smile and upturned brows. "Err- I don't think Ayame would appreciate hearing that."

"Yeah, ya mangy wolf. Better get out of here before you make a bigger fool of yourself, idiot."

Koga instantly rose to his feet. "Who you calling an idiot, idiot?"

"The guy who professes his undying love to a girl when he's married to a different one, idiot," Inuyasha shouted back, the tension rising between the two. Sparks of rage could almost be seen erupting between them.

"Well at least my love for her is undying, idiot!"

Inuyasha was taken aback, almost flinching away from the comment and lifting his arm up; a useless guard against verbal hit.

"Wolf," Sesshomaru interjected, ending the verbal abuse and catching their attention, "you're done here. Leave."

"Heh. I'll leave when I'm ready."

"Uh, Koga," Hakkaku called in a trembling voice full of worry that Koga was about to unknowingly sign his life away, "maybe we ought to go?"

"Yeah," Ginta supported, "you know how Ayame gets whenever we're late."

This time Koga's eyebrow twitched as he gave a terrified sneer, recalling all the other times he had arrived home late; the noise that woman could make when she yelled. Scratching the back of his head, Koga sighed and placed a hand on his hip.

"Yeah, okay. Y'all are probably right. You better take care of Kagome, mutt, or you'll have to answer to me."

"Keh. I'd like to see your best shot, wolf cub. There's no way you could go up against me and my tetsusaiga."

"Heh. I wouldn't be too sure about that, mutt." Koga grinned as he subtly placed a hand on a set of metal claws he held at his hip, "Anyway, we'll be heading off now. See ya later, Kagome!"

"Er- bye, Koga." A large cloud of dirt erupted again as Koga sped off, leaving his companions to chase after him again.

"Oh no, there he goes again."

"Wait up, Koga!"

"Yeah, don't leave us behind."

As the group watched them leave, Shippo hopped onto Kagome's lap.

"Wow. Even without the jewel shards, that Koga is still pretty fast."

"You can say that again," Kagome responded.

"Well now that that's through," Sango spoke, "I'd like to see what's inside the package if that's alright?"

"Do as you wish," Sesshomaru said as he reclaimed his seat. For a second, no one moved, surprised at how easy it was to gain his permission, but sure enough, Shippo eventually made his way towards the package, followed by Sango, Miroku, their family, Inuyasha, and lastly, Kagome.

Jaken was still firmly stuck beneath the package, and he commanded that someone lift it off of him. Despite his best efforts, Shippo was barely able to move it by a hairline, and it was Inuyasha who had to move the box. Huffing and puffing, Jaken then began to complain about how long it took them to help and how the box had squished the feelings out of his legs.

"Keh. Man y'all are weak. This box… isn't even… hngh… that heavy."

"Don't act like your so much better, Inuyasha," Shippo teased, "you're struggling with it too!"

"Well put it down already. I want to see what's inside."

"Yeah, yeah, Sango. I'm going."

Inuyasha placed the box down gently, and the group surrounded it, including Jaken who was now instructing the kids not to get too close until they knew what was inside. With their imagination running wild, the group hesitated for a moment, wondering what dangers or treasures lurked for them.

"Alright," Sango stepped forward, "guess I'll open it."

No one breathed as she slowly opened the box with her short sword, the rope and the thin paper that covered it together splitting apart. When she removed the wrapping, there was a gasp of admiration for the lacquered wood box that was decorated with a silver design of a bamboo grove with birds and a star covered sky on a black ground. It was elegant and refined, with the smoothest texture and a reflective surface that gleamed like a mirror. The box cover was removed, and what was inside was even more beautiful than the box's design.

"Woah! Look at all that boar meat!"

"And all that fish too!"

"What succulent fruit."

"Oh! There's a bunch of healing herbs too!"

"Look here," Sango chimed as she reached for something beneath the mountain of food. What she pulled out was bow colored as black as the elegant box with silver leaves etched into its limbs and silver crescent moons on either side of a desert ironwood handle, the color of which was dark cherry with black, red, and orange streaks.

"Oh my god," Kagome gasped.

"There are weapons. A ton of them too. Here, Kagome. I think this is for you." Sango handed Kagome the bow, and it trembled in her shaking hands. The bow was light but strong. It was shorter than her longbow, and the limbs curved forward where her string notched into the bow with the tips pointing forward; a recurve bow. On the face of the bow was a phrase written in kanji that said "the way of the bow".

The others also received weapons, each as elegant and dazzling as her own. Miroku was given a pair of tonfa, a melee weapon made of redwood that ran along his forearms when the lacquered, perpendicular handle was in his hand. He moved awkwardly as he practiced with it, but he seemed excited to have it.

Kagome looked at the weapon in surprise. _That weapon is a predominantly a south Asian weapon. Does that mean it was imported?_ She let that thought drift away as she looked at the other weapons.

Sango held a new katana and a wakizashi sword, a shorter companion to the katana. The pair each had black braids with silver peeking through where the braids crossed, and a coral stone hanging from the rear-cap. It suited Sango's slayer outfit, and she studied them with marvel and curiosity.

Shippo was especially happy with his kyoketsu-shoge, a double-edged, double pointed blade attached to a long, black rope with a large, metal ring at the end, and a bamboo flute. While he didn't give much attention to the flute, he was scolded by Inuyasha for nearly hitting him with the kyoketsu-shoge.

Inuyasha showed little emotion about his tekkos, a weapon similar to brass knuckles only without the finger holes, and instead had a wooden rod with a bowing, metal fixture with sharp points protruding outward. It wasn't until he had his back turned to the group that he grinned widely at them, unaware that Kagome could see him.

 _That's not surprising, the big brute that he is._ Kagome smiled. Jaken and Ah-Un also received items, with Jaken gaining a new dagger and Ah-Un a new helmet that made them look more beast-like than they already were. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, received a note.

"Woah! No wonder the box was so heavy!" Shippo exclaimed.

"I'm surprised that it all managed to fit." Miroku replied.

"Alright, enough gawking! Let's get that meat on the fire! I'm starving."

"So Kagome was right."

"Eh… no, she wasn't, Sango! I just wasn't hungry before, alright?"

"Sure…"

Kagome laughed with the others, but her attention was drawn back to Sesshomaru, who placed the note in his pocket. As the meat was cooked over the fire, and the mouthwatering smell was wafted throughout the camp, the group sat back at their original places, only this time, Kagome sat in a way the allowed her access to Sesshomaru if she could just scoot around behind Ah-Un.

"Where did the box even come from?" Shippo asked, drawing everyone's attention while Kagome scooted over an inch, "I heard Koga mention something about a Lord."

"Yes, I heard that too." Miroku placed a thoughtful finger on his chin, and Kagome chanced another scoot.

"I thought the wolves were independent, though." _Scoot._

"As did I. Hmm. Do you know anything about that, Sango?" _Scoot, scoot._

"No, not really. Since I was a child, I've never heard of any Lord ruling over the wolves." _Scoot, scoot, scoot._

"Well, of course there's a Lord, you fools! If there wasn't the land would still be stricken with war for the territory alone!"

Kagome was close now. A few more inches and she'd at least be in the range of tapping his shoulder. Not the best distance to strike up a silent conversation, but it was a start.

"Care to explain, imp?"

"Yes, what do you mean 'stricken with war'?"

"Hmph," Jaken huffed with annoyance at the lack of respect, but his ego compelled him to show off his extensive knowledge to the humans, "well, long before any of you were born, at a time when Sesshomaru's father was still on the rise to power, there was a war amongst the general and some of the lords in the land. It was a war for territory brought about when the general successfully beheaded a number of lords leaving quite a bit of the land to be considered unclaimed, primarily in the west."

Kagome scooted closer to Sesshomaru and nearly yelped when she noticed Sesshomaru was already looking at her. _Freakin jerk! Don't scare me like that!_ As if in response to her internal comment, Sesshomaru's brow rose as if to ask what she was doing.

"Of course, those foolish lords didn't understand that the land was already claimed by the general, so when they began fighting over it, they began a war with the general. As the war continued, with more lords from the farthest lands beginning to join, and with them all dying at the general's hand, or paw as it was," Jaken grinned at his own joke, while the others rolled their eyes, "it spread and changed the war. No longer was it a war just for the west, but for territory throughout the land. Young lords without any experience saw it as an opportunity to claim land for themselves, while the older lords either sought to defend their land or to expand it."

"Yeah, yeah. But this still doesn't tell us anything about this Lord."

"How much longer is this story gonna take?"

"Hold your horses, I'm getting there!" Jaken shouted before grumbling about young people with no patience whatsoever.

At last, Kagome reached Sesshomaru with very little space between them so that they could whisper without being heard. Still, with the light from the fire on his face, it was hard to tell if he was smirking at her or not.

"What are you doing, priestess?"

"I wanted to know how come you didn't get anything."

"I have all that I need."

Jaken continued his story in his loud, squeaky voice, catching their attention momentarily. "Towards the end of the war, there were only six opponents left. A lord in the north, a lord in the east, a lord in the south, another in the central plains, the general, and the last rival he could not defeat; the lady of the west."

"But we all got something," Kagome whispered close to Sesshomaru's ear. This time she was certain of his smirk as he tilted his head closer to her.

"It is true. The lady of the west, Lord Sesshomaru's mother, was the only one who could match the dog general's strength."

"No one questioned you, toad. Get on with it."

"I am not a toad, I'm an imp! And you'd do well to be silent, half-breed! I'm almost done!"

"Yeah, whatever."

Kagome pursed her lips as Sesshomaru stared at her intensely.

"And what would you give to someone such as me?"

She gulped and bit her lip. "I… I'm not sure."

"No?" He smirked again, enjoying watching her squirm and blush from embarrassment as she continued to abuse her lips, "I believe you do."

"It was her," Jaken continued, "who brought peace to the land by signing a truce with the remaining Lords and promising her land and herself to the general as long as their future son was given the title as Lord and dominion over the west."

"So that means that Koga was talking about the Lord of the east?"

"Yes, that's correct, monk! Very insightful of you."

"But how come we've never heard of him before?"

"Lord Ethriel chooses to run things differently from Lord Sesshomaru, and he… ahem… has been stricken with misfortune for some time now."

"So we haven't heard of him because of this misfortune?"

"Correct again, monk. This misfortune takes up more time than he can spare."

Kagome brushed her hair back behind her ear, with a blushing smile. "I… maybe I do? I'm not sure."

But Sesshomaru didn't respond. His stoic features were firmly back in place, and it was as though they hadn't been speaking at all.

Kagome followed where his eyes were looking, and saw Inuyasha making his way towards her. Immediately, she became tense, wondering how much he had caught of their conversation or if he had caught any at all.

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head when he stood beside her, Kagome looking up at him while he looked anywhere else. His cheeks were red, and his crooked sneer gave the impression of discomfort. "Uh," he said hoarsely, "Hey… Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"How… how about we go for a walk?"

"Hm? A walk?"

"Yeah… ya know…," Inuyasha looked down at his feet, and then peeked at her while keeping his head down, "So we can talk."

"Oh… oh." Kagome hesitated. Was she ready for this? She didn't have much of a choice now. Despite the lead in her stomach and legs, Kagome shakingly said, "okay". A short second later, and with her hand within his own, Inuyasha led Kagome away from the camp.

* * *

Not the most dramatic ending that I usually try to finish off with each chapter, but at least there's something to look forward to in the next! Please Favorite, Follow, and Review! It really helps me out! Thanks!


	28. Chapter 27: We No More

Hiya! How are ya'll?

I thought I wrote more than I did (whomp whomp) but I like where I left it. I don't think I'd want the next section to bleed into this chapter, so I'm going to set it as its own. I hope ya'll like this segment, let me know what ya'll think and how ya'll perceive the story so far.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 27: We No More

The coldness inside her was greater than the air that made her shiver. It was dark and empty; a void that spread like water turning to ice, jagged and freezing, attacking her will; her will to fight; her will to survive; her will to hope. The bleak cell meant for two encapsulated her doubt, a perfect mirror of its surrounding suffocation that snuffed out any light besides what little she had within herself. It was as though it had seeped into her, and now it resided her, moving and eating its way like a gnawing parasite.

In the shadows, her eyes played tricks. The walls breathed with her, pulsed with their own heartbeat. Creatures that were not there slithered across the floor or fell from the ceiling. The silhouette of a man lingered in the corner, staring at her, moving at times from side to side, or becoming taller or shorter, sprouting horns or stretching his arms till they reached the floor. At times he would have three sets of arms that he would stretch out, and he would laugh…

"Don't look into the darkness too long," the shattered woman warned, "you'll just end up seeing your fears."

Kikyo shifted her gaze to her knees. All she could do was wait until her next punishment while she listened to the dying girl take harsh breaths, each inhale threatening to be her last. _Three years,_ Kikyo thought, _For three years this woman has suffered here, waiting for someone to rescue her. Who's to say I will not end like her? Inuyasha… would you dare to rescue me? Or has your heart forgotten me?_ Kikyo looked at Hina, her body broken into pieces with only a small glimmer of honey extending from fixed points. How much longer would it take for Hina to die? How much longer until Kikyo was like her?

No. Regardless of her situation, Kikyo refused to accept that as a possible outcome. Gritting her teeth, she tried to wiggle her toes which tingled out their objection to her command. But she would not stop. No matter what occurred, she'd escape, if not with the help of Inuyasha, then with her own dynamism.

"Why do you try so hard? I told you it was useless."

"You may be content with surrendering, but I will not give in so easily."

"Easily?" Hina coughed out a laugh. "Look at me. Does this look like I took the easy way out? Stubborn girl. You're doomed to suffer my fate."

"If it is a fate that comes either way, then I have no choice but to try-

"Quiet! She's coming."

Whispers could be heard from beyond the cell door steadily approaching closer. A set of footsteps, oddly clicking with each presumed step, magnified the absence of the other, the owner of the second voice's steps so light that a ghost could be shamed.

Kikyo regulated her breathing, slow and smooth, in an attempt to silence any unnecessary noises she may have made; a steady breath; a calm heartbeat; stillness in its most possible sense. She drove her concentration to her ears, heightening her sense of hearing to catch whatever snippets of the duo's conversation that she could. It was a struggle at first, only the ends of their words coming through, but her persistence showed its worth.

"-e...o...ant?"

"As...ight...now she's...ly...ption."

"You...ink...oo an rake her?" _They're getting closer. I can almost make out what they're saying. Her? Do they mean Hina? Or perhaps Amellis?_

"She's ore...ilient than I...elieve, but no matter… Either she bends, or she breaks. Leave me now. And do as I have told you."

"Of course…" the remaining words from the male stranger were hidden in whispers that carried a flirtatious tone before the clicking noise of his footsteps traveled away. A moment later, and light poured into the dark room.

Standing at the doorway, the woman's figure was silhouetted as Kikyo squinted from the blinding light. Her eyes adjusted quickly, however, and it was apparent that the light that had entered was a dull glow that had only blinded her because of the sheer darkness the cell had engulfed her in.

The fiery redhead was a sight Kikyo had hoped to avoid for a time longer, but she was there now, baleful and unavoidable. With a child-like smile that hid her malice behind a mask of innocence, the woman entered the cell, her bare feet as silent as a cat's. Her presence was vacuous, absorbing the stale oxygen as she loomed over her prisoners, domineering and gigantic compared to their low-grounded forms. She could make their throats dry while at the same time making them feel as though they were being drowned.

"How are my two little toy-things doing today?" She grinned and twirled her hair with her finger, crouching down towards Hina as she spoke, "I do hope you've been getting along. It'd be so sad if your last interactions were, shall we say… upsetting. Hmm, Ni-Ni?"

The door was open, beckoning Kikyo. No soldier or guards behind it, no figure or object to stop her, her abuser currently distracted by a girl Kikyo could do nothing for. She knew her only chance to escape was to get to her body, the medium that channeled her power. If she were able to get to it, to become whole, she was certain she could find a way to escape. Kikyo lunged.

Her numb legs slipped under her like a jester slipping on a banana peel. With a hard _smack_ , her chin kissed the floor and a subsequent cackle was bellowed from behind her. That horrid laughter, chiming with the sound of innocence yet voiced by a monster, struck her pride like a whip, and Kikyo's lips went into a snarl, her teeth mimicking a wolf's.

"Oh-haha-oh, Kikyo, I had no idea you were so naive. Do tell me if I'm wrong, but you were planning on running to, say, I don't know, your body? Am I right? Oh do say that I'm right, I do so love being right all the time. Almost as much as I love my guards that are never far behind."

To pour salt into her pride's wounds, the two tiger guards chuckled at Kikyo's fallen form as they entered the cell. They grinned with their incisors, silently confirming that, even if she were able to run, they would have caught her. She spat in their warning, her hair was pulled upward, pulling at their follicles and making her yelp as she was lifted off the ground.

"That was rather rude, little priestess. And after I've come to give you a gift."

"The only gift you could give me is the gift of your death."

"Feisty, feisty. So strong-willed as always. It's rather annoying, honestly, but even so, I do believe you'll enjoy my little gift," The woman ran her clawed finger down Kikyo's cheek, her tongue peeking out the corner of her mouth as she did, "I am so giving to the point that it's almost sickening. Because, you see, Kikyo, my gift today will be… clarity."

With confusion and disgust at this woman touching her, Kikyo scrunched her nose in defiance. "The only gift you give is pain. Any 'clarity' you give would be deceit."

"Is that right?" The woman asked as she squeezed Kikyo's jaw, "hmmm. I'll guess we'll just have to find out then."

Again, Kikyo was enveloped in shadows, the penumbra serpents emerging from the floor and surrounding the woman and her. Familiar nausea crept into her stomach as the air pressure around her shifted and turned, her form struggling to stay together as she was transported to the location of the woman's choosing.

The grass tickled her toes. Above them was a midnight blue sky covered with stars and a gibbous moon. In the distance, Kikyo could hear the trickling of water, and further away, the sound of laughter. She was outside. A brief moment of appreciativeness was squashed as the claws holding her jaw dug further into her transparent skin, and spite solidified itself into Kikyo's spine.

"Retaliate all you want. As you are now, all you can do is give me a dirty look. Heh, "the woman smirked crookedly, "I wonder what look you'll give after you see what I have to show you."

Whipping her around, the woman pressed Kikyo against her body and crushed Kikyo's ribs with her arm while still holding Kikyo's face with the other hand. The blue light emitting from Kikyo began to grow brighter as she tried to kick or scream, but her body would not respond and her mouth was forced still. Eventually, the light dulled.

"Look, little priestess," The woman whispered in Kikyo's ear, and she listened. Opening her eyes, hope filled her again as her heart raced faster. He stood an arm's reach away from her with his back turned, and she could see the individual silver hairs of his mane, the short fur of his flat ears, and the shaking of his shoulders through his red robe as he spoke.

"Inu...yasha…" Kikyo hoarsely whispered through her teeth.

"Shhh. Hush now. Just listen. Then you'll understand why I brought you here."

Kikyo struggled against the woman's grasp, rotating her shoulders the little that they would move, all the while hearing the pleading in Inuyasha's voice as he shook his head and gestured his anguish with his hands. It hadn't crossed her mind to wonder who he was talking to, or listen to the words he was saying. He was there, and if she could reach him, she was certain he would save her. In the midst of her struggle, however, she saw the woman who he was speaking to as she began to walk away, and watched as he grabbed her hand to prevent her from leaving.

"Kagome, please. Just listen to me."

"What is this?" Kikyo snarled, but she had stopped in her struggle again.

"Like I said. This is clarity."

"No…" Kikyo whispered as Inuyasha pulled Kagome into his arms, and though Kagome pushed against him at first, she quickly retracted her actions and wrapped her arms around him.

"I would never want to hurt you, Kagome. Not on purpose," Inuyasha spoke into Kagome's hair, kissing the top of her head between sentences, "You have to believe me."

"Please," Kikyo said as she tried to turn her head away, "I don't want to see this."

"But… Inuyasha…"

"I don't want to lose you, Kagome. And if I hurt you looking for Kikyo, then..."

 _Please, Inuyasha._ Kikyo mentally pleaded, blue orbs of tears forming in her eyes. _Don't. I'm right here. Don't you see me? I need you…_ There was a silence that seemed to whisper _turn back_ , and for a moment, Kikyo hoped he had heard it.

"Then… what…" Kagome spoke into his chest, clutching his robe as she did.

"Then…" _Don't,_ "Then I won't look for Kikyo anymore."

Released from her capture, Kikyo fell. Worn from physical and emotional distress, she landed on the ground without any resistance, laying on it as she craned her neck towards Inuyasha. With their arms still linked around each other, Kagome leaned back to look into Inuyasha's face. Oh, how Kikyo wished she had poorer view than what she had been given.

"You're not serious." Tears were dripping from Kagome's eyes, but she looked at Inuyasha with skepticism.

"I am, Kagome," Inuyasha placed a hand onto Kagome's cheek, "You mean everything to me."

"Enough," Kikyo hissed, "I don't want to see anymore."

"Really? But the best part is coming in three… two…" The woman chuckled as Kikyo was forced to watch Inuyasha kiss the lips of her reincarnation. He did so gingerly, holding her delicately while he pressed his lips against hers. It reminded Kikyo of how he used to kiss her.

Kikyo flinched as she felt the heel of the woman press into her back, placing pressure on her spiritual spine. A dose of physical pain to go with her emotional one. _I've been abandoned._

"I'll say this now, Kikyo," The woman practically hummed as she pressed her heel deeper into Kikyo's spine, eliciting a cry, "You know that you can't escape me. And now you know that no one is coming to save you. You're all alone in this big wide world of mine. But as I said before, I can be quite giving."

She removed her heel, allowing Kikyo to breathe, and then she lifted her up by her hair. The sight before her was so joyous, she nearly shouted with glee; The priestess's chest had become as black as ink. Biting her lip, she contained her victory cry within her as she smiled widely and brushed the hair from Kikyo's face.

"Bend your will to me, Kikyo. Serve me, and your suffering will end. I swear it." There was little doubt in her that Kikyo would say no. The darkness that had grown in her soul, so deliciously vacant of life, gave her confidence that Kikyo would accept her offer. Then she would use her to attack her only friends.

"Die in hell." Kikyo spat. The blue orbs struck the woman's cheek, and there was a moment of satisfaction before Kikyo's throat was in the woman's hand.

"Insolent child! Why do you continue to fight me?" The woman wiped her cheek clean and then slapped Kikyo's face with all her strength. It left Kikyo breathless, her head pounding from the impact and her vision swaying. Her mouth ached, and as she ran her tongue along her gum, she felt the empty sockets where her teeth had been before they were reformed just as her other wounds were always healed. "You think you've felt the worst I have to offer? I've been going easy on you, girl. Now you will feel the full extent of my torture. By the time I'm done with you, you'll think you've been sent to hell, and you will beg me for mercy!"

Catching one last glance towards Inuyasha as Kagome pushed him away, the serpents surrounded Kikyo, and she was thrown back into the shadows.

~ • • ~

"You're lying!" Kagome shouted as she separated herself from Inuyasha, "And even if you weren't, I would never accept that! There's no way I would ever agree to not look for her!"

"Wait… so you want to save Kikyo?"

"It's not about want, Inuyasha, it's about doing the right thing. You saw how she was. We can't just abandon her. She'll die!"

"Well, yeah, I-

"I know you were lying," Kagome looked away from him, her brows scrunched and her lips pursed. Her cheeks were wet and were becoming wetter still, but she didn't care. Her body was shaking. Was it from anger? Was it from fear? She couldn't determine her emotions. They were separate from her. Raging inside, they roared and whined, but she was not of them. Devoid of their influence, she judged her words soundly, collected and resolute.

"I know you were never going to stop searching for her, Inuyasha. It's okay… I understand. You love her. You always have."

"That's not… ermm…"

"I'm right, aren't I?" This time, Inuyasha looked away and scratched the back of his head while rubbing a foot against his heel. He would not look at her, nor did she expect him to. And as she looked upon his nervous form, she could not help but recognize the end that was approaching. Like the ticking down of an hourglass whose sand was nearly run out, Kagome could sense all that she and Inuyasha were slipping beyond her control, through a small funnel that had always been there, hidden beneath the surface, slowly ingurgitating their sand, until the last few grains were falling.

"Inuyasha… I need to know… Do you love me? At all?"

He stopped moving for a moment, and when he did speak, he kept his eyes away from her. _He's going to lie again._

"Come on, Kagome? What kind of stupid question is that?"

 _He didn't answer the question. That's even worse._ Kagome smiled though, whether it was to hide her pain or show her acceptance she didn't bother to analyze. Not yet. She could focus on herself later. Right now, it was them, and they were going to be made right, whatever the outcome would be.

"It's okay… I get it…"

"Huh? H-hey. Come on, Kagome, don't cry. You know how I feel… about… you…"

She shook her head. "It's alright, Inuyasha. You don't have to pretend anymore. Neither of us do." She smiled, but she clasped her hands together until her knuckles were white, "I know now how it's going to be. We're going to find Kikyo. All of us. When we do, you'll finally get to be with her. You'll finally be happy."

"What… what are you saying?"

"I'm saying… I think it's time we do what's best for us. Inuyasha..." she caught his gaze, and her words threatened to stay in her throat. Her mouth was dry, and her ears were hot. She thought that if she swallowed down her hesitation, she'd accidentally swallow her words.

Inuyasha clasped her hands into his own. Looking down at their joined hands, she knew what he was doing and what he would do. It was an attempt to stop her, to make her rethink the words that mulled around in the back of her mouth. In a moment, he would hold her, perhaps kiss her, lie to her about his feelings or at the very best disregard those that contradict what he would say. Through his brief affections, she knew he would successfully convince her, and this precognition dislodged her words and had them falling from her mouth before Inuyasha could act.

"I don't think we should be together anymore."

"What?" Inuyasha flinched, but Kagome kept her head down, looking only at their joined hands, "Don't say that, Kagome."

He moved to hug her, but Kagome removed herself, creating a distance between them.

"Stop."

"Kagome, please," He took a step towards her, and she took a step back, "You know that I… You know that I love you."

"You don't."

"Of course I do."

"No, Inuyasha," Kagome puled, her distress leaking out in her shaky, high-pitched breath, "You don't. You're just afraid of being alone."

"That's not… no, you're wrong."

"I'm the same way too," Kagome murmured, pressing her clutched hands to her chest as she looked at the ground. Memories of her home crossed through her mind; the dinging of the school bell; the roar of the crowded streets; her friends and her family. She had fit in like a piece to a million count puzzle. Just another face. Nothing strange about her. There was no isolation for her there, surrounded with options and people who knew the same things she did. She had given it up, though. For Inuyasha. For them. She had loved him, and at the time that was all she needed to leave it all behind. And there was no going back.

The idea of living in this world, in a past she had no part of being in, all alone, as who she was… Kagome shivered at the prospect. It was terrifying. And then she would have to witness the man she had given up everything for be with another woman who was supremely better than she could ever be. She would live in this world, fumbling and lost, unsure of where to go and what options were before her. Unsure if she would ever find love. And this time around, she wouldn't have the support of her home.

The fear of being alone had driven her to last as long as she did, always leaving out hope that, somehow, she and Inuyasha would flourish, ignoring that all along they had only been hurting each other.

"I'm afraid to be alone, too. Just like I'm afraid of facing my problems head-on."

"Then… why?"

"You were gone for more than a week, Inuyasha. In the time, I realized what we had been doing to each other, staying with the other person out of obligation and fear of saying the truth and being alone. But with everything that's happened… we can't deny it anymore. We can't keep pretending."

"That's not true! Nothing's changed, Kagome. I still want to be with you. Don't… don't you want to be with me?"

Kagome chuckled out a whimper. "You don't get it, Inuyasha. The truth is that you don't want to be with me. You want to be with Kikyo. Neither of us can deny that anymore. And honestly," Kagome's tears began to fall from her face faster as her heart constricted inside her, "I don't think I can handle being by your side anymore. Not in the way I have been."

Inuyasha was silent, his eyes wide and his mouth agape while his brows curled upward and his ears laid flat. She couldn't handle looking at him with such painful confusion on his face, and she turned his back to him.

"I'll still fight by your side, and I'll still be your friend. But nothing more."

"I can't accept that!" Inuyasha shouted, "I can't just let you go! I won't!"

"We have no other choice, Inuyasha. We're done."

"No…"

"I'm sorry." Neither one said a word, taking in the silence and the hurt, listening as the last grain dropped. It had been said, and it was out there now, in the open surrounding both of them. The course of their relationship had ended. Kagome felt that if she reached out, she could almost touch the fracture that had been made between them. A fracture she had caused. "I want to be alone now."

"I won't stop fighting for you," Inuyasha meekly whispered.

"I'll see you back at camp, okay?" Kagome began to walk before she had finished her sentence, refusing to acknowledge Inuyasha's statement.

She picked up her bag from the ground, slung it over her shoulder, and congratulated herself on having enough foresight to bring it. As she walked towards the sound of water, she half expected Inuyasha to follow her, but looking back she saw that he hadn't moved. His head was kept low, his bangs blocking his eyes, and he remained as he was, making no move to follow her or head back to camp. She left him as he was.

The sound of water grew louder, and the mist of the spring came into view. As she stepped into the dell, where the spring's humidity touched the cool autumn air, moss kissed the sides of trees and stones, and where the top spring trickled into a second and third pool of water, Kagome set her bag down and then slumped to the ground to weep into her knees.

* * *

*gasp*

That's right. They've broken up. Too bad Kikyo didn't see that part.

I hope I did this part okay, since it is a big moment in the story thus far. Anyway, favorite, follow, and review, it all helps me out greatly! I'll see ya'll soon!


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